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One of Our Favorite Snack Stands Has Reopened in Disney Springs!

If you’re craving treats galore, Disney Springs is a great place to go on a food crawl to pick up some snacks while you’re shopping.

One of Our Favorite Snack Stands Has Reopened in Disney Springs!

Bubble Waffle

Even though we’ve been able to have a Frozcato and flaming cheese since Walt Disney World’s shopping and dining district reopened, we really missed those HUGE Bubble Waffles! (Just look at how fabulous it is!)

So, we were super happy to see that AristoCrépes has reopened in Disney Springs so we can snack to our heart’s content!!

One of Our Favorite Snack Stands Has Reopened in Disney Springs!

AristoCrepes

The kiosk opened back up on Monday with some unpredictable hours, but if you catch it, you’ll find the same menu as before.

One of Our Favorite Snack Stands Has Reopened in Disney Springs!

AristoCrepes Menu

If you’re walking around Disney Springs and spot AristoCrépes open, we highly recommend that you take a moment to indulge yourself!

What is your favorite thing to eat at AristoCrépes? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, disney dining tips, Disney News, Disney Springs, Featured, Snacks, Walt Disney World, AristoCrepes, Bubble Waffles, Disney, disney dining, disney news, disney parks, disney restaurants, disney snacks, disney springs, disney springs reopening, Disney World

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News: The Disney Springs Food Trucks Officially Reopened During the DAY Today in Disney Springs!

Although we’re big fans of sitting down at Wine Bar George or Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ for lunch during the week, sometimes you just need to grab something on the go when you’re on a shopping spree. (We just really missed the Minnie Ear wall in the World of Disney.)

News: The Disney Springs Food Trucks Officially Reopened During the DAY Today in Disney Springs!

Disney Springs Food Trucks

Although the Disney Springs Food Truck re-opened yesterday evening at 4 PM, we’ve got some good news for your lunch breaks from now on!

The Disney Springs Food Trucks have started to open up earlier in the day for guests to stop by the Mac and Cheese, Cookie Dough and Everything Sweet, Hot Diggity Dogs, and 4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa Food Trucks at Exposition Park.

News: The Disney Springs Food Trucks Officially Reopened During the DAY Today in Disney Springs!

Hot Diggity Dogs

Although there are distancing markers in place near the food trucks, cutlery and napkins are still available to pick up yourself at a table nearby.

News: The Disney Springs Food Trucks Officially Reopened During the DAY Today in Disney Springs!

Cutlery and Napkins

If you’re hungry for more snacks and goodies around Disney Springs, you can take a look at what it’s like to dine in at the other re-opened restaurants here!

What’s your favorite food truck to visit when you’re in Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments below!

Related posts:

  1. Let’s Grab a Slice! Pizza Ponte Has Reopened in Disney World
  2. REVIEW! We Tried Three Whole Pounds of LOADED FRIES at The Basket in Disney Springs!
  3. What’s New at Disney Springs: Dogs Wearing Face Masks, Four Pounds of Loaded Fries, and MORE!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, disney dining tips, Disney News, disney parks, Disney Springs, Featured, Snacks, Walt Disney World, Disney, disney dining, disney food, Disney Food Trucks, disney news, disney restaurants, disney snacks, disney springs, Disney Springs food trucks, disney springs reopening

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Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Greetings from Disney’s Contemporary Resort! We’re stopping by this classic Disney World Resort hotel to share with you some of our favorite eats and drinks! The Contemporary is a Deluxe Resort, which means that they’re going to be offering TONS of food options, from Signature Restaurants to Character Dining to Quick Service.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

The Contemporary is also on the Monorail loop (literally — the Monorail runs THROUGH the hotel!), making it super easy to dine at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa as well as Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Disney’s Contemporary Resort with Monorail Access to Magic Kingdom and Epcot

And, of course, this also means it’s a quick ride (and walk!) to Magic Kingdom. Let’s take a closer look at what dining options the Contemporary has to offer!

Note that as a part of Disney World’s reopening, certain experiences might be unavailable. Check with Disney prior to your visit to see what is available.

California Grill

Sitting high above Disney World (15 floors up to be precise) is California Grill, the Contemporary Resort’s Signature Restaurant.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

You’re going to be paying top dollar for the food and service here. If you’re using the Disney Dining Plan, you’ll be redeeming two Table Service Credits. We think it’s a decent use of those two credits and, in fact, we included California Grill on our list of the best value Two-Credit restaurants of 2020!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

California Grill

One of the huge draws to California Grill is the sweeping views of Magic Kingdom. By day the views stretch on and on, and by night, you have one of the best views of the fireworks!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Views of Magic Kingdom from California Grill

Even if your meal isn’t during the fireworks, you can come back and watch the fireworks from a special viewing terrace. Just bring back your receipt and you have access to the terrace!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Magic Kingdom Fireworks From Disney’s Contemporary Resort

But let’s chat about the food itself because this restaurant offers MUCH more than just a pretty view! Overall, the menu at California Grill, as the name of the restaurant and the resort implies, is going to be contemporary Californian cuisine. One of the highlights of California Grill’s menu is their hand-rolled sushi.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Sushi Varieties at California Grill

These are far from the priciest items on the menu, so if you’re looking for value on the Dining Plan, you’re better off ordering a more expensive item. But if you’re paying out of pocket, their Sushi Rolls are a great way to dine at a Signature Restaurant while keeping your bill relatively low!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Sushi at California Grill

Other highlights on the menu include wood-fired pizzas, a wide range of entrees, apps like the ah-mazing  Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli (it’s been on the menu since the restaurant open in 1995!), and a huge selection of California wines.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Enjoy the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli at California Grill

California Grill also has an adjacent lounge where you can order from the full menu without needing a reservation! This lounge is first-come, first-serve, so you may want to plan to arrive early if you want a seat.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

California Grill Lounge

Note that guests who dine in the lounge will also have access to the terrace to view the fireworks! Just save your receipt to be permitted on the terrace before the show begins.

The Wave…of American Flavors

The Contemporary has a couple of additional table service restaurants that you should know about! The first is The Wave…of American Flavors. Commonly referred to as just The Wave, this restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While lunch and dinner are decent here, The Wave really shines during breakfast.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Full plate with Breakfast Potatoes

You have your choice of a breakfast buffet or order a la carte off the menu.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

The Wave Breakfast Menu

A great HACK at The Wave is for those of you interested in the buffet. You may find that there is no omelet station at the buffet — never fear! If you select the buffet, you can still order an omelet with your server and they’ll whip one up for you at no extra cost!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Omelette from The Wave

Their sweet potato pancakes are another highlight that you can pick up on the buffet or a la carte! And no breakfast is complete without a mimosa! At The Wave, you can get REFILLABLE mimosas!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Sweet Potato Pancakes!

The best part about breakfast at The Wave is that since this is more under the radar, you can typically find a last-minute reservation!

As for lunch and dinner, we’re actually sticking with the breakfast theme for one of our favorite appetizers: Bacon and Eggs! This dish comes with crazy-good maple-lacquered Pork Belly with a “Perfect Egg” and Tillamook Smoked Cheddar Grits.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Bacon and Eggs

Like California Grill, The Wave also has a lounge where you can sip on some legendary cocktails. One of our favorites is the Seven Seas Lagoon Cocktail. This “fishbowl” beverage is big and strong! It features Skyy Vodka, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Blue Curaçao, Agave Nectar, Pineapple Juice, Fresh Lime Juice, topped with Fruit Boba, Gummy Fish, and a glow cube for good measure!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Seven Seas Lagoon

All in all, The Wave…of American Flavors is a hidden gem at The Contemporary. It’s a great breakfast option if you’re looking to fill up before heading into Magic Kingdom or a nice spot to unwind after a long day. Note that the decor at The Wave looks kind of like a 1970’s car dealership, so…there’s that. But the food is good and well-priced.

Chef Mickey’s

While our first two restaurants we’ve talked about are definitely more “chill,” Chef Mickey’s is anything BUT!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Chef Mickey’s

Chef Mickey’s is classic Disney World character dining. It’s almost like a rite of passage to dine here, and combined with the fact that you get to meet the Fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald), reservations can sometimes be tricky to grab.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Mickey Mouse at Chef Mickey’s

A trip to Chef Mickey’s is all about the characters more than it is the food. The food has been GOOD, but not GREAT over the years (although we have noted that it has slowly but surely gotten better). Even with an improving menu, it’s still a loud, crowded restaurant that can make for a less than stellar experience for some.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Chef Mickey’s Seating

Chef Mickey’s serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. For the most bang for your buck, try to get a reservation time for brunch, that way you’ll be able to pick from the breakfast AND lunch selections.

As far as specific food items go, you’ll have all the typical buffet selections to choose from like Mickey Waffles, bacon, and eggs for breakfast, and chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, a carving station, and more for lunch and dinner.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Mickey Mac and Cheese

If you have a sweet tooth, their waffle bar and sundae bar are both fun and tasty. Kids will also love constructing their own waffle or sundae creations.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Mickey (and Minnie!) Waffles with Toppings

There’s no denying that Chef Mickey’s is one of the most well-known restaurants in all of Disney World. While some consider this a must-do, we’ve often left feeling a bit rushed and disappointed. With SO many guests coming through the doors, it can feel a bit hectic in here. There are other great restaurants where you can meet Mickey, and many other character buffets or plated character meals to consider that have just as good food, if not better, and many offer more chances to interact with the characters.

Contempo Cafe

We’re moving on now from the traditional table service restaurants at The Contemporary and we’re checking out Contempo Cafe! This is the primary Counter Service dining location at the resort.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Contempo Cafe in the Contemporary Resort

The Monorail passes right next to Contempo Cafe, making this an ultra-convenient pit stop for some food before hitting the parks! There’s not a whole lot of flash to Contempo Cafe. It can be loud at times due to its location in the middle of the Grand Canyon Concourse (the big open middle part) of the Contemporary’s main building (it’s also right next to Chef Mickey’s). It also lacks any discernable theming, so don’t expect much beyond grabbing some food here.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

The monorail and the Mary Blair Mural at Contempo Cafe

Speaking of food, there are a variety of selections here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For a counter service location, Contempo Cafe is top-notch!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Contempo Cafe Menu

For lunch and dinner, their Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup Combo knocks it out of the park. The French Dip is another sandwich selection that we have loved over the years!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Combo!

We’re always checking in on Contempo Cafe because they are also known for serving up some seriously spectacular specialty cupcakes! Our Contempo Cafe Cupcake Hall of Fame includes the Churro Cupcake

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Churro Cupcake

…which is Cinnamon Cake with Cinnamon Icing and a Vanilla Pudding Center. Oh, and obviously a mini churro as a garnish!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Churro Cupcake — Inside

We’re also obsessed with their Monorail Cupcake! This treat is a vanilla cake topped with cookies and cream frosting, a chocolate shell, candy pearls, and an Oreo. And we can’t forget about that adorable white chocolate monorail!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Monorail Cupcake

A third cupcake that we found simply stunning is the Dulce de Leche cupcake! This beauty is yellow cake topped with salted caramel buttercream, candy crisps, a chocolate swirl, and a large salted caramel truffle chocolate.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Contempo Cafe’s Dulce de Leche Cupcake

And lest we forget our FAVORITE treat here — the Peanut Butter Pie. If you’ve read the site for a while, you know we’re suckers for peanut butter and this thing has YET to disappoint us! It’s a thick scoop of peanut butter cream cheese on top of a vanilla cream tart! This. Thing. Is. Delicious. Seriously, if you love PB too, it’s worth a hop off the monorail to grab even if you’re not staying here!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Peanut Butter Pie — YUM

Whether you’re running in for a cupcake or taking a few moments to eat a full meal, you could soon find yourself recommending Contempo Cafe to all your friends!

Outer Rim

Our last few stops at Disney’s Contemporary Resorts are going to be more or less centered on beverages. While The Contemporary has some great food spots, we wanted to make sure we gave a shout out to all the DRINK spots, too! Let’s start with Outer Rim.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Outer Rim Lounge at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Outer Rim currently only serves beverages. In the past that you used to be able to grab a bite to eat here, but when we checked their official menu, the food items were removed.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Outer Rim Bar

While the Outer Rim is a good spot in the resort to sip on a tasty cocktail, you won’t find a ton of unique offerings here. Their “standout” drinks like the Blue Glowtini, Pina CoLAVA, and Moscow Mule are bar staples across Disney World Resort, and you’ll find Outer Rim’s generic “Disney Bar Menu” in TONS of other places.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Glowtini

That doesn’t mean we never see specialty menu offerings here. This past Valentine’s Day (or Villaintine’s Day, if you will), we spotted a few extra evil special concoctions to celebrate the occasion!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

The Antagonist

Though their menu is typically limited, Outer Rim is a reliable watering hole to stop by to cap off your long day at Disney World.

Contemporary Grounds

Moving on now to a necessary beverage of a different sort… coffee! When you’re running around the theme parks for days at a time without stopping, caffeine is going to be your best friend. So stop by Contemporary Grounds first thing in the morning for a delicious latte!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Ordering and Serving Area at Contemporary Grounds Coffee Bar

At Contemporary Grounds, you’ll have plenty of coffees, lattes, and cappuccinos to choose from. There’s also a decent variety of baked goods to munch on with your morning fuel!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Contemporary Grounds case

Contemporary Grounds is also home to one of our FAVORITE food accessories, Latte Art!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Contemporary Grounds Latte Art

You can choose from a wide selection of fun graphics to have printed on the foam of your drink for just 50 cents!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Latte and Donut Art Options

We can’t think of anything better right now than grabbing some latte art and then strolling over to Magic Kingdom from The Contemporary!

The Sand Bar

Before we hop over to Bay Lake Tower, we’re heading outside to visit The Sand Bar, the main poolside bar at The Contemporary.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

The Sand Bar

This nautical-themed counter service dining location is going to be your go-to destination for a bite to eat or something to sip on while you lounge by the pool! There aren’t too many surprises here when it comes to their menu. Expect to find burgers, hot dogs, salad, and all the typical tropical alcoholic drink options you would expect to find at a poolside bar.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

The Sand Bar

You can also escape the heat at The Sand Bar! This bar offers both outdoor and indoor dining experiences.

Cove Pool Bar

Head over to the connected Bay Lake Tower pool to find the Cove Bar. Note that only DVC members or guests of Bay Lake Tower can access this pool. Similar to The Sand Bar, the food options are limited and their drink menu features your basic poolside staples.

Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower

For our last stop on our tour around The Contemporary, we’re actually hopping over to Bay Lake Tower and to the Top of the World Lounge!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Bay Lake Tower

Bay Lake Tower is The Contemporary’s newest addition for Disney Vacation Club rooms and villas. But you can totally stay here even if you aren’t a DVC Member! But what you CAN’T do unless you’re a DVC Member is visit Top of the World Lounge. That’s right, you either need to be a DVC Member or be the guest of a Member to enter!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Top of the World Lounge

If you’re ever able to visit, we totally recommend you do so! Top of the World is quite the exquisite lounge as far as Disney World lounges go. They have the standard lounge menu to order from, with a few specialty selections. The Bay Lake Sunset was a lovely refreshing drink that we would order again!

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Bay Lake Sunset

They also have small bites like soft pretzels and cheese plates to munch on.

Here’s What to Eat at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort!

Soft Pretzels and Dips

Overall, although access to the lounge is limited, it’s one of our favorite Disney World lounges! If you time your visit just right, you can get a spectacular view of the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks as well!

We hope this foodie trip around Disney’s Contemporary Resort gave you an idea of what to expect next time you want to dine there! As a Deluxe Resort, we would expect a wide variety to choose from, and the Contemporary doesn’t disappoint! While some dining locations are worth checking out more than others, the location of The Contemporary in proximity to Magic Kingdom makes their restaurants and lounges among the most convenient choices around!

What’s your favorite thing to eat at Disney’s Contemporary Resort? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Character Dining, Contemporary Resort, Counter-Service, disney dining tips, disney resorts, Featured, Snacks, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, Bay Lake Tower, California Grill, California Grill Lounge, Chef Mickey’s, Contempo Cafe, Disney World, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Outer Rim, The Wave, The Wave Lounge, Top of the World Lounge

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8 Hidden News Bombs in Disney World’s Hotel Info Drop!

When the parks re-open on July 11th and July 15th, Disney World will be making some changes to how dining, hotels, attractions, and more operate.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

And, Disney dropped some MAJOR news this past weekend about how the resorts will be operating when they open back up again soon.

While we don’t have definitive re-opening dates for many of the Disney hotels aside from Disney Vacation Club resorts and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground, we do know what procedures and regulations are going to be followed when they welcome guests again!

‘Ohana Won’t Reopen With the Hotels

When the Disney Parks and Resorts re-open, character experiences will be limited. On top of character meet-and-greets being halted, character dining will also no longer be occurring during this time. One of these places includes ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (parting with that Bread Pudding is such sweet sorrow). We’ll still have to wait a bit longer for our character breakfast or dinner meat feast (including those glorious noodles) over at ‘Ohana.

Mahalo, Lilo!

However, there is one character dining event that will be open when Disney Resorts welcome guests again. So, if you really want to meet some characters while you eat some Mickey Waffles, you can go to Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera at Disney’s Riviera Resort for a modified character dining experience.

Topolino’s Terrace Breakfast a la Art Characters

Details concerning this new experience haven’t been shared yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we learn more.

Read about all the ways Disney dining will be changing this summer!

No More Signature Dining or Dinner Shows

Although many of the Disney Resort restaurants will be greeting guests again during their re-opening, signature dining locations will remain closed for the time being! This includes California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and 1900 Park Fare, Narcoossee’s, Citricos, and Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa!

Queen Victoria Room at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

But, don’t worry — you can still swing by spots like Contempo Café for a cupcake or a bite (PHEW!). ? Dinner shows will also be halted at the resorts.

Strawberry Shortcake

That means no Polynesian feast at Disney’s Spirit of Aloha, no unlimited buckets of fried chicken at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (cue our tears here), and no stomping along to Mickey’s Backyard BBQ!

These are all the restaurants where you will be able to dine in the Disney Resorts when they re-open!

The Best Pool in Disney World Will Be CLOSED!

Although Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club are gorgeous locations to stay in Disney World, the resorts are also home to an AWESOME sand-bottom pool — the largest resort pool on property. While Stormalong Bay is a major pull for many guests picking a Disney Resort, the pool will not be open during guests’ stay. Guests at these resorts will have access to the Beach Club’s leisure pool or the Luna Park or leisure pool at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.

Stormalong Bay

However, other pools at the other Disney resorts will be open with reduced hours, while leisure pools will be open 24 hours a day. At this time, pools will be operating with limited capacity for guests who are staying at the resorts.

You might not be thinking about these things when you book a Disney World hotel!

You’ll Have to Wait for The Next Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Series to Arrive Online ONLY

Although merchandise locations will be re-opening at the resorts, the shopping experience will be changing a bit. While we’ve loved shopping for each Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Series or the next limited edition Mickey Ear Hat, new product launches and limited-edition merchandise won’t be available for purchase at the stores.

Ears Section of World of Disney

Since these items sell out pretty quickly and guests go a bit wild for them (Enchanted Tiki Minnie is just too cute!), the resorts are most likely suspending these collections in-store as a means of social distancing guests.

Limited Releases like the Minnie Mouse Main Attraction Collection Won’t Be Released in Disney Stores Initially

Since Disney Springs saw limited edition merchandise at the World of Disney sell out extremely fast with large crowds, it’s possible they decided to forego any in-store limited releases for the time being.

Take a look at all the Disney merchandise you’re going to want to take home with our latest merchandise round-up!

Looks Like You Won’t Be Able to Eat Mickey Waffles in Bed Anymore!

Since the resorts will be using limited operations across the board, Room Service will also unavailable for the time being. 

Mickey Waffles!

Since the Disney Resorts will be using limited amounts of cleaning service during guests’ stays, Room Service would just be another way to have in-person contact that’s deemed unnecessary at the moment.

Read our full review of the AMAZING Twilight Feast you (could previously) order to your room here!

Package Delivery Is Taking a Leave of Absence

If you’re shopping around Disney World, the parks usually give you the option to send purchased items back to your hotel for you to pick up or to the front of the theme park. However, guest package deliveries from stores on property will not be happening as a safety measure.

Polynesian Lobby

According to a Cast Member we spoke with, Disney hasn’t confirmed whether this suspension would be extended to delivery for things like Amazon packages or medicine yet.

These are ways you can fix big Disney World disasters!

One of Your Favorite Nightly Shows Will Be Halted!

While Disney’s Contemporary Resort has some BOMB views of Magic Kingdom where you are able to watch the fireworks from the comfort of your hotel room, entertainment will be paused for the time being. Disney World will be temporarily suspending its fireworks, parades, and character meet-and-greets in the parks when they re-open.

View from California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

However, Disney has also announced that another piece of nightly entertainment will be closed as well. The Electrical Water Pageant that makes its way around the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake nightly will also be stopped during the re-opening.

©Disney

Although we aren’t entirely sure why Disney World is halting this since the “parade” happens away from guests and can be witnessed from the resorts, Disney might just be starting from scratch with all entertainment.

Take a look at the full list of activities that will be halted at the Disney Resorts here!

You’ll NEED a Reservation to Dine at Table-Service Restaurants!

Now, this is a HUGE change for Disney dining that may affect how you plan your vacation to Disney World going forward! Since the parks will be implementing a new reservation system, Advance Dining Reservations and the Disney Dining Plan have been canceled.

Whispering Canyon

However, once the system is up and running, there will be new ways to book reservations for the restaurants you love (we’re coming for you, Garden Grill). But, there’s a catch — when the table-service restaurants re-open in the parks and resorts, you’ll NEED to have a reservation to visit.

Garden Grill Restaurant

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort, you must have a confirmed hotel reservation or dining reservation to even enter the hotel. And, if you’re wanting to eat at one of the multiple table-service locations in the resorts, only guests who have previous reservations will be allowed to dine at the restaurant.

Sanaa

The parks will be following similar guidelines — guests who want to eat at a table-service restaurant will need to have valid park admission, a reservation for park entry, and a dining reservation. Since this system hasn’t been the process at table service locations so far in Disney Springs, we’ll keep an eye on this one for more information as it’s released.

Learn more about the dining reservation information at the Disney Parks and Resorts here!

While Disney is still moving towards releasing more details about what the parks will look like in July, they are doing everything they can to keep guests and Cast Members safe with these changes. We will continue to keep you updated with more news and details about Disney World’s re-opening!

Here’s everything you need to know about Disney World’s re-opening procedures!

Will you be heading into Disney World when it re-opens in July? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney dining tips, Disney Entertainment, disney merchandise, Disney News, disney parks, disney resorts, Featured, Walt Disney World, Character Dining, dinner shows, Disney, disney dining, disney hotels, disney news, Electrical Water Pageant, Signature Dining, Stormalong Bay

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10 Disney World Tips That AREN’T in the Guidebooks

Planning a Walt Disney World vacation can be both an extremely exciting AND daunting task.

Hello there Mickey and Minnie!

But with the proper planning and research, you can make the most out of your time and hard-earned money spent on a Walt Disney World Resort Vacation. Even still, you might not find everything you need to know about having the most EPIC time at Disney just by reading the guidebooks! Luckily, you’ve got us by your side!

We’re going to take you through a few tips that we think are SUPER important — although you’ll rarely see them discussed anywhere except here! Let’s go for ride!

Your Disney World Resort Is a BIG Part of Your Disney World Experience!

A lot of folks think a hotel is just a place to sleep, shower, and get dressed so you can spend all your time at the parks (and for some, it can be just that!), but don’t overlook how truly important your Disney World resort hotel can be! In fact, some of our favorite vacation things aren’t at the parks at all — they’re at the resorts!

Port Orleans Riverside

Disney does an excellent job of providing a slew of resort activities all day long at all properties, from their Value resorts to their Deluxe resorts. You never know what cool new thing your family will stumble upon!

Oasis Pool at Polynesian Village Resort

Each afternoon the pools at the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels offer guests a full slate of entertaining family activities including Bingo, karaoke, hula hoop contests, relay races, scavenger hunts, trivia challenges, chalk art, pin trading, and poolside challenges. No matter which Resort you call home, you can stop by the front desk and ask a cast member for the Resort Activities Schedule.

Sample Activities Board at Coronado Springs

And don’t be afraid to explore OTHER Disney World resorts either! Even if you aren’t a guest, you can still explore any hotel at Disney World! Take advantage of the Holiday season by touring the various resorts with Christmas Displays. Any guest can enjoy the annual Gingerbread house displays at Grand Floridian or sip on a specialty holiday cocktail at The Contemporary Resort!

Grand Floridian Gingerbread House

Lounge hopping is another great way to explore the properties. Many of these bartenders have been cast members for a long time and it’s always nice to relax and chat over cocktails and delicious bites. Some of our favorites are Crew’s Cup Lounge at the Yacht Club Resort and Territory Lounge at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (be sure to indulge in the sinfully delicious fondue). Oh and don’t forget Trader Sam’s at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort!

Chardonnay Cheese Fondue

Don’t Miss These Walt Disney World Bars and Lounges!

Some resorts also offer character meals like those you can find in the parks. Some of these dining experiences offer more time with your favorite characters as well as a unique selection of food. In fact, let’s talk about character dining next!

Learn More About Disney World Hotel Activities For The Whole Family!

Not All Character Meals Are Created Equal

If you’re looking to spend your FastPass+ on popular attractions instead of using them to meet characters, a character dining experience is a great opportunity for you to do just that! Note that Character Meals have been suspended for now, but we know they’ll be back in the future, so it never hurts to plan ahead.

While Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is crazy popular, some character dining options are a little more off-the-beaten-path. Storybook Dining at Artist Point in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is one of our favorite character meals with some really cool theatrical lighting, innovative food presentation, and even a private encounter with the Evil Queen herself!

Meet the Queen at Storybook Dining at Artist Point!

Snow White, Grumpy, and Dopey usually make the rounds as well!

Read our FULL REVIEW of Storybook Dining at Artist Point here!

At the Walt Disney World Swan Resort, you’ll find one of the most underrated character dining experiences, Garden Grove. The weekend breakfast buffet is affordable and offers plenty of interaction with characters. This is the perfect place for photo ops with the typical cast of characters that can include Goofy, Chip & Dale, Pluto, and more.

Garden Grove ©Disney

We went to EVERY character meal so you don’t have to!

And since some of these out-of-the way, lesser-known character meals aren’t as well attended as Chef Mickey’s or 1900 Park Fare (another popular character meal, which usually has characters from Cinderella in the evening, and Pooh, Tigger, the Mad Hatter, and others in the morning!) the characters aren’t as pressed for time and can sometimes spend a little longer with you at your table!

Cinderella and Prince Charming

It’s also important to keep in mind some character meals are served buffet style (like Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace), while others are plated and brought to your table.

Crystal Palace Buffet

For families with smaller children, we happen to prefer the latter since it means we don’t have to worry about rushing to the buffet before a character arrives while juggling our kids at the same time!

Winnie the Pooh, Tiger, Eeyore, and Piglet normally greet at Crystal Palace! Read our full review of dinner here!

And we might just love character meal BREAKFASTS most of ALL! ‘Ohana has an amazing character breakfast (where you’ll meet Stitch, Lilo, and more!) and Trattoria al Forno‘s Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast has some of the rarest Disney characters you’ll meet, including Rapunzel, Flynn Ryder, Ariel (with legs!) and Prince Eric! 

Meeting Rapunzel is part of the fun!

You won’t find these princes meeting anywhere else at Disney World!

Read our FULL REVIEW of the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast here!

And don’t forget — Disney’s Riviera Resort, which just opened last winter, has a fancy new plated character breakfast too!

Topolino’s Terrace Breakfast a la Art Characters

You’ll find this at the resort’s signature dining location, Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera, and have a chance to meet Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Donald!

Click here to see our review of breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace!

And finally, our all-time FAVORITE character meal can be found over at Garden Grill in the Land Pavilion at Epcot. This restaurant serves up all-you-care-to-eat platters of breakfast favorites in the morning (including plates of their incredible Chip’s Sticky Bun Bake!), and meats and veggies (grown IN the Land Pavilion!) for lunch and dinner.

Breakfast Skillet at Garden Grill

This spot is usually pretty easy to snag a last-minute table, and due to the small size of the restaurant, you often get a TON of interaction with characters like Farmer Mickey, Chip, Dale, and Pluto! Oh yeah — and the restaurant slowly rotates while you eat, letting you look down on the Living with the Land attraction below! We seriously can not understate what a fantastic character meal AND quality food Garden Grill offers all day long.

Click here for our latest breakfast review of Garden Grill!

Disable Charging Privileges on Your Child’s MagicBand

He’s a little tip you’ll want to keep in mind as soon as you arrive at Disney World IF you’ll be staying on property with kiddos!

All of the MagicBands you’ll receive in the mail prior to your trip will already be linked to your Disney World account, including any credit card you have on file. That means you might want to deactivate this feature if you have children who might be tempted to make an unauthorized purchase! ?

Mulan MagicBand

Your kids would still need to know the 4 digit pin code to make purchases, but if you have older kids in your crew you don’t want running around Disney World with unlimited access to your money, consider disabling charging privileges for their bands. ? You can deactivate the purchase settings on your kids’ MagicBands yourself using the My Disney Experience app or just ask a friendly Cast Member at Guest Relations to deactivate it for you when you check-in!

A great solution to older kids who want the freedom to buy their own goodies? Buy a Disney Gift Card!

Flower and Garden Festival Themed Gift Card

Disney often sells themed gift cards on wristbands, making them super convenient to tote around with you. You can load more money on the card if you choose, but for your kid — when it’s gone it’s gone!

Click here for even more tips for your Disney trip with kids!

Loyalty Programs and Third Party Offers

If you’re a Disney Vacation Club member or Annual Passholder, you’re probably already used to purchasing merch with your 20% discount at select locations throughout the parks, but did you know there are even greater ways to save??

Walt Disney World Annual Passholder

Tables in Wonderland is a dining discount program for eligible Florida Residents, Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders (21 and older), good for 20% off food and beverage (including booze) at a wide selection of Walt Disney World Resort hotel and theme park restaurants and lounges.

Tables in Wonderland Card

Many Disney Springs restaurants have loyalty programs where you’ll be rewarded simply for enjoying your meal! The Levy Loyalty Program gets you special deals at Paddlefish, Terralina Crafted Italian, and Wolfgang Puck branded restaurants.

Paddlefish

The Landry’s Loyalty Program comes with lots of extra perks too! At Yak & Yeti Restaurant, T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe, you’ll be treated to priority seating, rewards points, $25 for signing up, and an extra $25 during your birthday month. There is a one-time membership fee, but that sign-up reward cancels it out!

T-Rex at Disney Springs

Patina Group offers a free Subscription List where they’ll send you offers and deals –  plus $30-$50 offers for your birthday — they run several restaurants at Disney Springs and a few over in Epcot. Here’s a list of spots they offer discounts for:

How to Build the Fastest Car on Test Track

We might be known for our competitive eating practices at Epcot’s many annual food festivals (where we literally order everything on EVERY menu!). Epcot’s two largest festivals, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and the O.G. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, are some of our favorites to eat our way around!

Epcot Flower and Garden

Check out our Best of the Fest list from this year’s Flower and Garden Festival here!

But there’s ANOTHER competition we take VERY seriously at Epcot and it has a little sumptin’ to do with an attraction called Test Track. To provide a little backstory if you’re unfamiliar with this ride at Epcot, you’re responsible for building a “sim car” on a touchscreen before entering the attraction. Once inside, you’ll take the prototype for a test drive — at speeds of up to 64 miles per hour!

Test Track

To have the highest score (note: none of this will actually alter your experience in any form, but you WILL receive bragging rights, which is reward enough for us), you’ll need to build the perfect performance MACHINE!

Stations Where Guests Design Their Cars

When designing your car, you’ll want to move quickly through the basics like shape and width — but pay attention to the category point values as you make changes (you want to keep them all as high as possible). Once you get to the accessories section at the end you can pick up lots of extra points by adding hood elements and wheel upgrades. It’s tempting to focus on flash when building your car, but stick to those numbers — they’ll literally pave the way to your victory every time you ride!

Click here for more tips to maximize your scores on Disney rides!

Familiarize Yourself with the My Disney Experience App BEFORE You Go

The My Disney Experience App on your device is a key element to planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Besides providing the vitals like FastPass+ bookings, showtimes, and park hours, this is now the preferred method for booking and modifying your Advance Dining Reservations.

Access My Disney Experience on Your Computer or Your Mobile App

But don’t wait until you’re at the parks to open it up for the first time. Trust us — you’ll be using it A LOT, so play around with it before you go! Believe it or not, a lot of people don’t even realize the My Disney Experience app is completely free to use and it’s not only exclusive to resort guests. Anyone can use it!

Haunted Mansion

Make sure your whole family has tickets and is linked up on the My Disney Experience app, too! Otherwise, you won’t be able to reserve FastPasses for your entire party. It’s also super important to keep in mind when your FastPass window opens up so you can reserve your three FastPass selections for your whole group each day!

These are usually available to resort guests 60 days out from their arrival and 30 days out for everyone else. Once you use all of your FastPasses during a day in the parks, you can open the My Disney Experience app and make another FastPass selection on the fly!

Rock N Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios

Another thing to keep in mind about FastPasses — all of the parks except Magic Kingdom have FastPass tiers, meaning you can only reserve a one Tier 1 FastPass at a time. For instance, Hollywood Studios has three Tier 1 FastPasses, so you’ll have to choose between Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon, and Slinky Dog Dash!  

Remember though, right now the FastPass system has been suspended temporarily. But once it’s back up and running you should be ready!

Which Tier 1 FastPass should you choose in Hollywood Studios?

Happy Hour at Disney Springs

You’ll be hard-pressed to find Happy Hours at Walt Disney World resort hotels or in the theme parks. BUT, there is good news — Disney Springs offers a SLEW of amazing happy hours throughout the day. One of our absolute FAVORITES is the Happy Hour at The Edison. Offered from 3-6PM, this deal includes $7 Craft Cocktails and select Wines.

Happy Hour At The Edison

End the night off at the swanky STK Steakhouse, which offers an incredible deal on Sunday-Wednesday from 3-6PM and Thursdays-Saturdays 10PM-close with $2 oysters, $5-8 small bites, and half off specialty cocktails.

Discover More Happy Hour and Late Night Menus In Disney Springs!

Bring Refillable Water Bottles and Water Flavor Enhancers

We are ALL doing our part to support the environment, one (paper) straw at a time. Bringing a refillable water bottle with you to the parks is a smart way to help the Earth while saving some money by not having to buy bottled water all the time. (We love this SUPER CUTE New Skyliner Water Bottle!)

Skyliner Water Bottle

New filtered water refilling stations are now popping up in a few locations around the parks, making it easy and convenient to stay hydrated while on the go. Or, you can always ask a Cast Member at a fast food location for a cup of ice water for free.

Free Water in Disney

And if you don’t like the taste of tap water (it can be especially swampy flavored in Florida!), we recommend bringing some packets of water flavoring along! Most of these enhancers come in a powder form or small squirt bottles. You simply add some to your water bottle, give it a good shake, and you’re ready to go with a tastier beverage without having to spend extra money!

Click here for even more helpful tips for your Disney World trip!

Managing Your Expectations When Things Go Wrong

Things inevitably have a way of going wrong sometimes, and even the best of trips usually has a few disappointments.

Maleficent at Villains After Hours

But as long as you keep a cool head and an even keel, we think you’ll still walk away with a good experience, and maybe even a funny story to share later on down the road.

We’ve been stuck on Spaceship Earth for 30 minutes, gotten drenched in more torrential downpours than we can remember, and encountered all kinds of torment due to poor footwear decisions, but that hasn’t stopped us from having a ball each and every time we go to Disney World!

Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom

And just remember — Cast Members are there to make sure you have a magical day. If you need any assistance to help achieve that, whether you need something like a bandaid or directions, just ask. Cast Members will help you solve whatever problem you’re having. Well, almost. They can’t really help you if your family is driving you bonkers (which probably will occur at some time during your trip!). Even Disney World Cast Members aren’t miracle workers. ?

Nicest Bathrooms in Parks!

Choose your restrooms wisely. While this may sound a little off-kilter, Walt Disney World is ALL about planning and that includes choosing your restrooms wisely. You never know when your little one or even YOU are going to have an emergency!

At Epcot, the American Dream is alive and well at perhaps one of the LARGEST bathrooms in all of the parks, located at the American Adventure. There are plenty of stalls and the air conditioning is always blasting. This is an especially great location if you’re drinking and eating around World Showcase or enjoying a show at the America Gardens Theatre.

American Adventure Pavilion ©Disney

Quite possibly the most hidden bathroom in all of Walt Disney World can be found on the side of Journey Into Imagination with Figment. This is just to the right of the attraction’s main entrance and there’s rarely more than few guests ever in there at one time.

Journey Into Imagination Sign

There are a few gems at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests in route to Toy Story Land should avoid the ones located inside the land and opt for the bathrooms located just outside and across from Joffrey’s.

Toy Story Land

The bathrooms just behind the Cheshire Café at Magic Kingdom tend to never have a wait. Another solid choice are the Tangled Restrooms on the border of Fantasyland and Liberty Square. While this area tends to be a little chaotic and packed with strollers, there are plenty of stalls and rarely a wait.

Cheshire Cafe Sign

Animal Kingdom does perhaps the best job at providing strategically placed restrooms with plenty of stalls. The theming is also something to note at many of these locations as well.

Asia Bridge in Animal Kingdom

Our personal favorites are the ones at Restaurantosaurus. Speaking of bathrooms, we have a WHOLE VIDEO on some of the best bathrooms in Disney World!

Of course, there are plenty more tips and tricks to share with you! We hope we’ve helped you think of a few things you hadn’t considered for your trip and how to approach them differently. With proper planning and research, you can have a totally MAGICAL and STRESS-FREE Walt Disney World vacation (well, within reason, of course!).

6 Walt Disney World Planning Tips Everyone Always Forgets!

What are your top tips for visiting the Walt Disney World Resort?

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
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