Month: May 2021

BREAKING: Interior Construction Has Resumed on TRON Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom, Props Seen Arriving on Site

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Though we’ve been tracking exterior construction of TRON Lightcycle / Run for several months, the project was significantly delayed due to COVID-19. In December, most of the show building’s openings were sealed off as interior construction stagnated. It seems interior construction has resumed, however. We saw this illuminating arrow prop being delivered to the construction site today. The piece was brought to the ground-level door that leads to the inside of the attraction. We recognize the piece from Shanghai Disneyland’s […]

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Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Reopens Following Day-Long Closure at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened a little late today after being closed for a full day yesterday. Boarding groups began to be called at about 9:20 AM, 20 minutes after the rest of the park opened. Boarding groups 1 to 8 are being called as of 9:30 AM. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has been plagued with technical issues since it first opened in December 2019, frequently not opening for several hours or […]

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Walt Disney Studios Releases a New Featurette on the Music of “Cruella”

Walt Disney Studios has shared a new featurette all about the music from the film Cruella, coming to theaters and Disney+ Premier Access on May 28. Along with the featurette, the official lyric video for Florence + The Machine’s “Call me Cruella” released. What’s Happening: Walt Disney Studios released a new featurette on the upcoming film […]

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Disney Still Withholding Necessary Information Regarding Health Insurance Assistance for Laid Off Cast Members

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According to reports from multiple Cast Members, Disney is not providing necessary information regarding financial assistance available through The American Rescue Plan (ARP). The sweeping ARP bill was enacted in March 2021 by President Joe Biden, and most Americans know the bill for the $1,400 direct payments it provided. Another part of the bill offers money to cover continuing health insurance benefits (COBRA) to those who lost their jobs during the pandemic. Upon termination, former Cast Members could opt to […]

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Disney Announces “Buy a Book, Give a Book” Program Through the End of the Year

The Walt Disney Company has announced a Buy a Book, Give a Book program starting now through the end of the year, where Disney will donate a book to First Book for every book bought through shopDisney.com. What’s Happening: It has been announced through Disney Parks Blog that The Walt Disney Company will be donating a book […]

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3 THINGS TO DO AT DISNEY WORLD’S EPCOT FOR CHILDREN

3 THINGS TO DO AT DISNEY WORLD’S EPCOT FOR CHILDREN

Orlando is home to some of the best entertainment and experiences. From the Disney Parks, Universal Studios, to all of the amazing food. While all of these offer their own variety of experiences, foods, drinks, and shows to enjoy, the little ones may not get to have the same experience as you. Whether you’re a local, or just visiting from out of town with your family, Disney offers a variety of activities to do with your children. That’s why today we decided to head out to Disney World’s Epcot to show you some things you can do with your children. Disney’s Epcot has food beyond belief, toddler approved rides, and even a Butterfly House, families will find themselves lacking nothing when it comes to spending a day at Epcot. Now, here is our list of 3 things to do at Disney World’s Epcot for children!

1. TODDLER APPROVED RIDES

Epcot is an amazing place for your whole family and that includes children! From your favorite character greetings and those little twinkles of the Disney whimsy that pleasure the old and younger ages. Epcot offers a variety of amazing rides, but there are certain rides that aren’t toddler approved. We started our toddler approved ride journey with Journey Into Imagination. Jackson got to see Figment for the first time, but he was startled in a few places throughout the ride. But overall he had a great time, so one toddler approved ride for your children is Journey Into Imagination! Located just in the Mexico Pavilion here at Epcot we introduce number 2 on the list. The Three Caballeros Boat Ride is the perfect ride to enjoy with your children. Jackson loved everything about this ride and so will your children. Besides the actual rides themselves, your children can get all of the excitement they desire by meeting their favorite characters! All around Disney’s Epcot, you will find characters to meet from Winnie the Pooh, Joy from Inside Out, to Goofy. Your children will never run out of excitement here at Epcot.

2. GOODNESS GARDEN BUTTERFLY HOUSE

Moving onto number 2 of our list of things to do for children here at Epcot, we introduce The Goodness Garden Butterfly House. There are a plethora of places for children to play here at Epcot, but with the Flower & Garden Festival still paving its way, there are even more! The Flower & Garden Festival provides gardening workshops and beautiful topiaries to enjoy, but our favorite is the Goodness Garden Butterfly House. In this beautiful Butterfly House you can view a kaleidoscope of butterflies up close and witness first hand all of their extraordinary colors. You can also learn about a butterfly’s life cycle and maybe see one emerge from its chrysalis. Jackson had the best time looking at all of the flowers and butterflies they have. We could’ve spent all day inside of the Butterfly House if it wasn’t so warm. You and your children can find breathtaking enjoyment from looking and being so close to many butterfly friends!

3. FOOD AT THE FLOWER & GARDEN FESTIVAL

If you and your family are self-proclaimed “foodies”, there are plenty of amazing opportunities for you to indulge your taste buds in the tasty food the Flower & Garden Festival has to offer. With an assortment of outdoor kitchens stationed all throughout the park, you and your family will have the chance to taste an array of flavors. Children can never go wrong with food and neither can us adults, that’s why the Flower & Garden Festival dining options are perfect for any age! Your family can take a taste test around the world from France to Japan and even the World Showplace, Showcase Plaza and Future World, the possibilities are endless. One especially delectable dish can be found at the booth in Mexico. From here we picked up the Tostado and Vampire Taco, both were exceptionally amazing but the taco was number 1.

Orlando is home to some of the best entertainment and experiences. From the Disney Parks, Universal Studios, to all of the amazing food. While all of these offer their own variety of experiences, foods, drinks, and shows to enjoy, the little ones may not get to have the same experience as you. That’s why today we decided to head out to Disney World’s Epcot to show you some things you can do with your children. We hope you and your families will find themselves lacking nothing when it comes to spending a day at Epcot. Here is our list of 3 things to do at Disney World’s Epcot for children. We had a great time and we hope you had fun hanging out with us at Epcot!

PHOTO REPORT: Universal Orlando Resort 5/17/21 (Jurassic World Isla Nublar IPA, A Little Blues Brother Fan, Fieval’s Playland Reopens, and More)

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It’s another busy day here at the Universal Orlando Resort! Let’s head over to Islands of Adventure first and check out what’s new. VelociCoaster has been consistently soft opening and wait times haven’t been too bad. We love the height check at the entrance. Look at the little dinosaur feet! We stopped into Jurassic Park to try the new Jurassic World Isla Nublar IPA. You can get it in Burger Digs, Watering Hole, Thunder Falls Terrace, and Natural Selections. There’s […]

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5 Things that are Different at the Reopened Disneyland

As a Legacy Passholder that frequented the park weekly pre-pandemic, I was beyond excited to go back to The Happiest Place on Earth. But with my return was the reality that not only had the pandemic changed me, it had undoubtedly changed Disneyland.

Here are 5 ways the pandemic has altered the landscape of Disneyland:

Procedure

The first major difference upon arrival is the lack of tram transportation from the Mickey and Friends parking structure to the Esplanade; guests must walk the tram route. Upon entering Disneyland and going through the tunnel (the right one of course!), Mickey and the gang greet fans from the Disneyland Railroad platform, the first of several socially-distanced character meet and greets scattered throughout the park (my favorite was the Evil Queen, who was posted on a balcony near the queue for Snow White’s Enchanted Wish). Another change is the exclusive use of mobile ordering at dining locations throughout Disneyland. While mobile ordering was an option prior to the park’s closure, in many cases it is the sole option currently. At Tomorrowland Terrace, where I ate, there were no walk-up windows available, and some menu items (including my beloved veggie burger) were unavailable.

Capacity 

While Disney does not release exact numbers, capacity is limited and does require an advance reservation. This is not the uncomfortably crowded Disneyland we had grown accustomed to pre-pandemic; the initial walk down Main Street felt lighter and there weren’t bottlenecks of crowding at the entry for Adventureland, as was often the case before. As a result, I was able to squeeze in 18 rides in 9 hours (although attraction wait times did slightly increase after 1:00 PM when park hopping started for the day).

California Residents Only 

Besides disappointing many Disneyland fans that live outside of California, allowing only residents to go to the parks has surprising implications on guest experience. Gone (at least temporarily) are the days of driving down after work for dinner and a Doom Buggy ride around the Haunted Mansion; most guests arrive right at opening and leave at closing. Not only does this make exiting the parking structure a lengthier process, but you end up taking the same side streets/freeways to drive home if you’re local. On the other hand, I did not see many people violating guidelines; most residents know the drill well enough to not have to constantly be reminded. 

Queues

Queues are largely kept outside, limiting indoor exposure to no more than 15 minutes. While queues are kept under shaded cover when possible, the California sun can be relentless in line for say Rise of the Resistance, where giant fans do their best to make up for lack of shade. Lines appear long and can stretch back pretty far, but they move forward in 6-foot increments, making it seem as though you’re always moving. 

Closures

In addition to several attractions being closed for refurbishment (Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Jungle Cruise and Matterhorn Bobsleds), others violate the theme park guidelines as set forth by the state. For instance, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage packs wayfarers into poorly-ventilated tin cans that take time to load and unload. In addition to closed attractions, most entertainment is temporarily suspended. Dining has also been hit by closures: several dining locations (including my favorite, the Royal Street Veranda, where clam chowder in a bread bowl is a must) are closed, at least for now. 

Even with a changed climate, Disneyland is a special place that brings magic to all who go there and I’m thankful to be able to go back!