It’s been a long, looooong year, huh?!

New Years Glasses

Honestly, we’ve been living a little bit in the new year already, especially since some new 2021 Disney World ears, pins, ornaments, Pandora charms, and other merch has already arrived.

If we could just have a little key that would unlock 2021 right now (instead of, you know, at midnight), we’d take it. And now, you can!

©Disney

The 2021 Collectible Key is now LIVE on shopDisney for $12.99! Like a lot of the 2021 merch, this key uses the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) and bold designs.

©Disney

You can see red Mickey icons on a yellow D, as well as Mickey and Minnie, ringing in the new year with TONS of confetti. It’s super celebratory!

Click here to buy the 2021 Collectible Key!

This isn’t the ONLY collectible key going on sale today, the Soul Collectible Key is also on shopDisney today! And of course, if you’re looking to start a Disney key collection in the new year, you can check out The Child Key, From Our Family to Yours Key, the Visa Cardmember Key, and more.

PHOTOS: TONS of Merch from the New Cats and Dogs Collection Has Arrived in Disney World!

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Do you collect Disney keys? Let us know in the comments!

The post Disney’s 2021 Collectible Key Has Arrived Online! first appeared on the disney food blog.

It’s time again to take a holiday time virtual tour of a Walt Disney World resort! If you missed out on our other two tours, you can jump in and catch up on the festive decorations at Disney’s Beach Club here and at Disney’s Riviera Resort here. Ready? Grab your hot cocoa (with lots of marshmallows, of course) and settle in as we take a tour of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort!

As guests approach the resort, they’ll be greeted by garland-wrapped light poles lining either side of the driveway. Instead of beach-themed trinkets, as was seen in the garland at the Beach Club, the Yacht Club’s entrance garland features white silk poinsettias, in addition to ornaments in red, green, and gold.

As they continue through the doors from the porte-cochère, guests are greeted by small twin Christmas trees tucked just inside the doorway. The trees feature the introduction of velveteen ribbon in a deep navy; it’s something we’ll see in other spots throughout the resort. Nautical-themed baubles are also on these small trees. If you look closely, you’ll see stars (very important to navigate by, right?), anchors, and sailboats.

The lobby’s Christmas tree (seen both at top and above) is absolutely beautiful. The tree is filled to the brim with shiny ornaments in various shades of blue, copper, gold and silver.

Detailed miniature sailboats and cabin cruisers are tucked into the branches of the tree, and, as with all of the resort’s holiday decorations, they remind everyone stopping to take a look of the resort’s overall theme.

The wreaths that line the hallway that leads to The Market at Ale & Compass and guest rooms feature fish and starfish-shaped wire ornaments made of seaglass.

Inside The Market and Ale & Compass, guests will find garland that incorporates navy-colored ribbon that was also seen on the small entrance area trees and the main lobby Christmas tree. Red poinsettias join the decorations in The Market, and stars in gold and silver appear here as well.

The bakery team at the Yacht Club made sure that guests who need to stick to a gluten free and/or vegan lifestyle have a holiday treat to enjoy. Vegan/gluten free Peppermint Brownies ($4.99) can be found in The Market’s grab and go area. If Chocolate Crinkle cookies ($5.19) are more your speed, you’ll be able to find those here, too. Yum!

The Market, which reopened in August, also features a nice area for guests to stop and gobble down a treat or two. The seating area has received its own garland that matches the garland seen in the merchandise section of the shop.

As we found at the Beach Club, lush garlands hang from the lobby’s railings. Personally, I think that this touch makes the area a more warm and inviting spot. I found that the lobby had an elegant and festive feel.

And, if you’re heading over for a sundae at Beaches and Cream, you’ll find that the holiday decorations extend down there, too. Wreaths featuring starfish, lighthouses, sailboats, ship wheels, coral, buoys, and all things nautical are seen on the large wreaths found along the walkway from the Yacht Club to the Beach Club.

Which Disney resort is your favorite to visit during the holidays?

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground and Cabins has been a Disney fan favorite for decades. But this year this beloved rustic resort was put on an even higher pedestal. It was one of the first parts of Walt Disney World to reopen after the March 2020 shutdown. Its unique features make it an even more desirable destination than normal. Here are the top 3 reasons Fort Wilderness Campground became a favorite resort of 2020.

1. Your own free-standing cabin or campsite
2. Peaceful getaway that’s still close to the magic
3. Plenty of activities if you don’t go into a theme park

These days many of us are not very comfortable with the idea of staying in a traditional hotel room with interior hallways and recirculated air. Suddenly the idea of staying in a free-standing cabin, or even a campsite, went from feeling like “roughing it” to a welcome way to get away, and stay away from others.

In July 2020 when Walt Disney World first started to reopen in phases, many Disney fans took advantage of low rates and made a date with Fort Wilderness. That is exactly what my family did in July. Staying the night at Fort Wilderness and spending time in the parks when they were empty during the initial reopening is a precious memory of this year. Other Disney fans, like our own Derek Burgan, had their own Fort Wilderness getaway at some point this year too.

Fort Wilderness Cabins have often been sold out well in advance in years past, with rates in the $350 or more range. Throughout 2020 there have been dates during which a night at a Fort Wilderness Cabin runs about $250 – $275, which is a good deal considering the features of the cabin. There’s a separate bedroom, bathroom, fully equipped kitchen (albeit a little small), living area, and large porch. The cabins feel like a cozy little home surrounded by Florida’s natural beauty.

With all the difficult news throughout the year, many guests longed to get away, but in a safe manner. Fort Wilderness offers a truly splendid location that makes for a peaceful, tranquil setting, but is still in the middle of the magic. The land on which Fort Wilderness stands is full of native Florida flowers, trees, and plants. You can also usually spot wild turkey and deer here as well.

Some guests want to feel the magic of Disney, but might not yet be comfortable heading into one of the theme parks. Despite some activities being temporarily unavailable, Fort Wilderness still has lots of activities and recreation. There is a main pool with a themed water playground, and a quiet pool is near the front of the resort too. The resort sits on the shore of Bay Lake and there is a marina, though motorized boat rental is temporarily suspended. Thankfully, the Electrical Water Pageant is back giving guests another fun thing to do at Fort Wilderness.

Fort Wilderness is the absolute best resort for renting a bicycle. There are multiple trails and lovely views. Currently the playgrounds remain closed and the campfire sing along with Chip and Dale is temporarily not offered. Fishing and canoe rental are available as well as tennis, volleyball, basketball, and even tetherball is available.

Have you stayed at Fort Wilderness before? What’s your favorite feature of this resort?

The post Top 3 Reasons Fort Wilderness Campground and Cabins Become a Favorite Resort of 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

It’s happening! 2021 is almost here! *cue the fanfare*

New Year’s Eve Cupcake

We’ve all been waiting patiently to give 2020 the boot. In celebration, we’re trying a few New Year’s Eve specialties that will help us welcome the new year. The Animal Kingdom New Year’s cupcake was WILDLY delish and the Strawberry Champagne cupcake was incredibly photogenic. We’re heading to the islands at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to try another Insta-worthy New Year’s treat!

The New Year’s Eve Cupcake from Captain Cook’s is helping us countdown to 2021! The limited-time cuppy cake is advertised as having a “Midnight Mocha” cremeux and crunchy cocoa nibs. When we tried the cupcake it was actually filled with strawberry and champagne filling we had earlier. Perhaps the mice decided at the last second to use the same ingredients and save some time.

Mobile Order Menu ©Disney

This cupcake comes with a lot of buttercream icing. They piled it HIGH with frosting and packed the cake with filling. It certainly is lacking in either department. The chocolate cake is super moist and tastes fresh too. We think people who LOVE frosting, fruit, and chocolate will really enjoy this treat. It’s especially fun for kiddos!

New Year’s Eve cupcake

By the way, you might recognize the chocolate clock piece on top. This is the same piece that was used on the Cinderella 70th Anniversary treats earlier this year. That kinda makes sense since Cindy was counting down the minutes until midnight too. (We’re not dreading the clock to strike midnight tonight though!)

New Year’s Eve Cupcake

We were a little disappointed in our last experience with the strawberry champagne filling and we weren’t totally in love with it this time. The strawberry filling tasted a little too artificial for our taste. This could be a flavor that others might enjoy, however. Another note is that we can’t really taste the “champagne” flavors. (It would have been nice for us to experience the “Midnight Mocha.”)

Happy New Year’s Eve from the Polynesian Resort! We’re trying the NYE Cupcake – chocolate with champagne and strawberry! pic.twitter.com/TfFUxVCZk7

— AJ Wolfe (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 31, 2020

Also, be aware that the blue frosting might stain your skin a little. You might want to use a fork to eat it and drink water to rinse the dye from your teeth!

New Year’s Eve Cupcake Cut in Half

Our verdict is that it’s pretty to look at and well-made. It’s probably not the best choice for people who don’t like overly sweet desserts, however. You gotta love frosting to enjoy this one! The cupcake can be all yours for $5.99. Stay tuned with us! We’ll be around for more special treats that pop up today and in the new year.

Find out how you can celebrate New Year’s Eve the Disney World way from home!

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What are your plans for New Year’s tonight? Let us know in the comments!

The post REVIEW! This New Year’s Eve Cupcake is Like a Hodge-Podge of Previous Disney Treats! first appeared on the disney food blog.

MagicBands are a pretty Disney World-specific accessory, but that hasn’t stopped us from stocking up!

MagicBands

Well, our collections got a little bit bigger today. You’ve seen the Periwinkle MagicBand, you’ve seen the Magenta MagicBand, but you’ve GOTTA see this Pink GLITTERY Magicband we spotted this morning!

We were checking out the latest merch in Disney’s Hollywood Studios today when something particularly shimmery caught our eye. We hurried over to the MagicBands display and, lo and behold, it’s a glitter-covered new option!

Pink Glittery MagicBand

This MagicBand has a soft pink base color that’s given a total upgrade when covered in textured sparkles.

Pink Glittery MagicBand

Look at how it catches the light!

Pink Glittery MagicBand

We spotted this new MagicBand at The Darkroom in Disney’s Hollywood Studios for $24.99, but it wouldn’t surprise us if we see it pop up elsewhere too.

Pink Glittery MagicBand

When it comes to MagicBands, do keep in mind that a big change is happening TOMORROW. As of tomorrow, Disney will no longer offer free MagicBands to Disney resort guests. Get all the details here. As always, stay tuned to DFB to make sure you’re up to date on all the big merchandise updates from Disney World!

Click here to see more cute MagicBands!

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What do you think of the Pink Glittery MagicBand? Tell us in the comments!

The post You HAVE to See the New GLITTERY MagicBand in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog.