Main Street, U.S.A. is getting some spiffying up soon!

We’ve been closely following all the construction at Magic Kingdom as the park gets ready for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration (ICYMI, that kicks off October 1st and lasts a whopping 18 months!). We’ve already seen the Cinderella Castle transformation begin to take shape, and now, the front of the park is getting some work, too!

The iconic shops on Main Street, U.S.A. are gonna play musical chairs for a little bit while they undergo refurbishment! Earlier this month, we clued ya in that the Main Street Confectionery would be closing on March 29th for a lengthy refurb. Now, Disney’s announced more of what we can expect when the shop reopens!

When we can step inside Main Street Confectionery again, we’ll notice an expanded layout and interactive activities to customize our sweet treats. Pretty exciting! Disney hasn’t released more details just yet, but we’ll be keepin’ a close eye on the construction.

If you’re craving your candy fix while this refurbishment goes on, don’t worry! While the store will be closed through June 5th at the earliest (maybe even longer!), you can find its wares at the Emporium and Main Street Cinema (which is currently closed to make way for its tasty new merch).

Now, here’s where it gets a little tricky! The artwork and collectibles previously for sale at Main Street Cinema are shifting over to Bonjour Village Gifts, which JUST reopened with a fresh coat of paint. And one more thing! The Chapeau on Main Street, U.S.A. is closing for a bit of refurb, too. You can find your Disney hats at Box Office Gifts (that’s at the Town Square Theater!) in the meantime.

Phew! That’s a lot of changes. We’ll keep you posted as these refurbs begin — and we’ll ALWAYS let ya know where you can find a good ol’ Disney cupcake in the meantime. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news!

Learn More About Main Street Confectionery’s Closure!

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What’s your favorite treat from the Confectionery? Let us know in the comments!

The post Main Street Confectionery Is Getting a NEW Look and More in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.

Thanks to Spring Break crowds in Disney World, it has been challenging for many people to find Disney Park Pass reservations at the moment!

Since the parks reopened, reservations are required to visit the Disney World theme parks, in order to help control capacities. We’ve seen many days fill up recently, and just yesterday we reported that park passes were almost completely FULL until April 8th. But this morning, more availability opened up, and our reader Joe (@schreiberjoe on Instagram) gave us a heads up! If you’ve been trying to get in a park, now’s your chance!

For the next week, we’ve seen a few options open up for theme park ticket holders. During our last update, no parks were available, but now guests can find Disney Park Passes for select days at Animal Kingdom and EPCOT.

April opened up quite a bit as well, with mostly Animal Kingdom and EPCOT available throughout the first part of the month. In the back half, some days still have park passes for all four parks!

Looking at options for Disney Resort guests, things look pretty similar for the rest of March. Your only choices at this time are Animal Kingdom and EPCOT.

The same is true for the first half of April, with more options opening up later. In fact, the availability calendars for theme park ticket holders and Resort guests are nearly identical!

There’s a bit more availability for Annual Passholders, but it’s important to keep in mind that Gold and Silver level passholders will soon be blocked out for Spring Break.

Even so, there are still several options left after the blockout dates end mid-April. So ahead and make those reservations now! They will likely go fast again.

If you were hoping to get into the parks in the next few weeks, now’s your chance to book! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney Park Pass updates and all the latest park news! And we will be sure to let you know if more availability becomes opens up.

Here’s What You Need to Know About Disney Park Pass Reservations!

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The post Book Fast! Some Hard-to-Get Disney World Park Pass Reservations JUST Opened Up! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Recently, on a solo trip to Walt Disney World, I decided to give the Pop Century Resort a try and was pleased with my experience! Plenty of people reading this have stayed at Value resorts dozens of nights and consider them their home resorts. Walt Disney World has five Value resorts: All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, All-Star Movies, Pop Century, and Art of Animation. My own familiarity with these resorts was minimal from having stayed at the All-Star Sports one time several years ago. But simply needing a place to sleep, preferably on property, I decided to give Pop Century a try.

Value resorts offer on-property accommodations for guests typically who prefer to spend all day in the parks, are on a budget, or those who are part of a large group. But as clean and casual options, anyone is, of course, welcome to stay. 

The Value resorts still have many of the trademarks one associates with Walt Disney World. Magic Candle Company has scents themed after these resorts. ‘Century’ and ‘Animation’ come in candles, wax melts, air fresheners, room spray, and fragrance oil. The pool areas still have plenty of theming and are conveniently located. My room at the Pop Century was mostly white, and general areas did not have lush tropical plant life or the white sand beach of the Polynesian Village Resort, for example. However, my room and the resort’s public areas were spotless and impeccably maintained. There were at least eight outlets in the room, most of which included USB ports.

The Skyliner provides transportation to two parks and several resorts at the Pop Century and Art of Animation (AOA), making large sections of Walt Disney World easily accessible. While Pop and AOA do not have full-service restaurants, a quick ride on the Skyliner makes options on Crescent Lake and the Riviera Resort readily available. Buses are also a transportation option, and, at the All-Stars, are the only option. However, from my experience, they run extremely well (especially compared to some Deluxe resorts). Staying at the All-Star Sports in 2018, I was talking to a cast member who indicated they tend to run buses almost non-stop, since Disney understands that many guests staying there intend to spend as much time as possible in the parks. 

Monorails, buses, boats, and rideshare services (Lyft and Uber) make much of property easily accessible. I was able to wake up at Pop, take Lyft to the Polynesian with a mobile order for Capt. Cook’s, and take the Ferry to Magic Kingdom. Making a dining reservation at Whispering Canyon Café is a great way to still see and enjoy the Wilderness Lodge without paying a deluxe price. In no way does staying at a Value resort isolate you from the rest of what property has to offer. 

And as of this writing, wdwinfo.com’s Resort Reviews and Ratings page put the Value resorts on par with many Moderate and Deluxe resorts in terms of an overall percentage rating. Pop Century and Art of Animation, in particular, have a higher satisfaction rating than the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Boardwalk Inn. 

But it is important to also understand what keeps some guests from booking these resorts. Their theming is not subtle, with bright striking colors and sculptures representing different sports, movies, and favorite characters. With a reputation for booking large sports and school groups, they are seen as noisy places, in no way comporting with a magical vacation. 

These concerns have varying degrees of validity. Perhaps not the most sophisticated with large statues of sporting equipment or characters from The Lion King, fun photo opportunities abound, and one is left with no doubt that they are, in fact, in Walt Disney World. With the amount of planning and expense which goes into a Disney vacation, that feeling of immersion is important. While I have not stayed while large sports or other groups are present, it is easy to see how noise would be an issue. Especially in buildings where the doors are on the outside (as opposed to an indoor hallway) and higher floors, as sound travels very easy. Requesting a higher floor and room far away from the lobby can help alleviate noise concerns. 

On Disboards.com, there is a great Resorts Forum which has threads for each specific resort if one wants to explore further and ask questions. Giving the Values a try does not mean you necessarily have to book your entire vacation there. It could simply mean taking the Skyliner to the Art of Animation resort on your Epcot day and enjoying lunch at the Landscape of Flavors food court. After all, on a hot day in Florida, taking a lunch break at a nearby resort is extremely refreshing. Or it could mean flying in one day early and staying at All-Star Movies just to experience something different.

Are the All-Stars your go-to resorts? Have you enjoyed relying on Value accommodations while visiting Walt Disney World? Please leave your thoughts in the comments!

The Disney Parks Blog has shared details on the major expansion coming to these iconic locations on Main Street, U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.

These beloved shops are set to “receive a fresh new look, expanded layout with more room to shop and interactive opportunities to customize your confections like never before.”

As we’ve previously reported, Main Street Confectionery will be closing and we’ve learned today that The Chapeau will also close for refurbishment later this month; March 29th to be exact.

Some of the merchandise and sweet treats will be for sale in other locations throughout the park.

Many of the treats from Main Street Confectionery will be available at Emporium and Main Street Cinema during the closure. Disney hats, including the iconic Mickey Mouse ears, will be for sale across the street at Box Office Gifts, at the Town Square Theater. Lastly, Bonjour! Village Gifts will be the new go-to spot for collectibles and artwork.