TikTok users are going viral with a “free shirt hack” at Walt Disney World. User Amanda DiMeo first posted about the “hack” in May. Cast Members at Magic Kingdom flagged DiMeo’s clothing as a violation of the resort’s dress code due to its revealing nature. She was given a $50 voucher for a new shirt, but after speaking with a manager, ended up with a $75 Spirit Jersey that she was then required to wear. She told Fox News, “Everyone […]
You know we’re Dole Whip aficionados, so we’re VERY intrigued to see how this Dole Whip recipe from The Pioneer Woman sands up.
This recipe is simple enough that you can whip (get it?) it up anytime you have a hankering for this signature Walt Disney World treat.
Dole Whip!
We have a few other recipes for Dole Whip but this one seems unique. The texture of the Pioneer Woman’s Dole Whip looks a little different in the photos based on what we’re used to. It almost looks creamy.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 cup vanilla ice cream (or your favorite dairy-free ice cream)
2 cups frozen pineapple
1 tablespoon lime juice
just a PINCH of sea salt
(serves 4)
DIRECTIONS
In a high-powered blender combine all of the ingredients at medium-high speed. As it blends, you may have to stop to push the pineapple chunks down to make sure they get mixed in completely.
Move the mixture to a bowl, cover it, and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Serve! You can either scoop it right out of the bowl or put the mixture into a piping bag with a star tip and put it in smaller bowls. It looks just like the Dole Whip at Walt Disney World!
I’d say The Pioneer Woman recipe is a pretty close match!
To really complete the experience we recommend putting on a good Disney playlist and letting your imagination take you away!
Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
The newest belt buckle to arrive at the Disney Parks features the iconic Cinderella Castle. We spotted this new accessory in the Emporium today on Main Street, U.S.A. Cinderella Castle Belt Buckle – $29.99 The castle belt buckle is done in a gold-plated finish. The belt itself is made from a pebbled faux-leather material. Just like the Walt Disney World logo belt buckle we recently found, this style is also available in multiple sizes. Will you be adding this accessory […]
Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
Doesn’t it feel like we’ve been talking about EPCOT’s Transformation for YEARS? Well, that’s because we have been talking about all of the exciting projects in development at EPCOT for some time now — remember wayyy back at the 2019 D23 Expo when we first got a glimpse at all of those retro-inspired posters and Spaceship Earth model that now sits in the EPCOT Experience.
EPCOT Experience
While some projects are full steam ahead, others have either hit the ‘pause’ button or have been shelved altogether. Let’s recap what was supposed to be a part of the EPCOT transformation, but is now on the chopping block.
Cut: The Festival Pavilion
The one project that seems to be all but doomed is the Festival Pavilion. This festival “hub” of sorts was designed to be a building three stories high, which included a plaza level, a middle “expo” level, and a park in the sky on the top level with firework viewing. If you take a look at the concept art, this project seemed really, REALLY cool.
While it doesn’t look like the general concept of a specified part of EPCOT dedicated to the festivals is cut entirely, the Pavilion has been rebranded as a “Festival Area” which seems to indicate that the three-story building is an idea of the past. This could reappear with time, but, given the scale and footprint of this project, it seems possible we may never see it come to pass.
Last summer, however, we learned that not only was the Spaceship Earth refurbishment postponed until further notice, but so was the announced Mary Poppins ride, which was set to be built in the United Kingdom Pavilion in World Showcase.
Mary Poppins in Epcot
A released statement noted that“As with most businesses during this period, we are further evaluating long-term project plans. The decision was made to postpone development of [the] ‘Mary Poppins’-inspired attraction and Spaceship Earth at this time.”
EPCOT
“Postpone development” implies that these projects could be picked back up sometime in the future, but for now, don’t plan your Disney World vacations around the prospects of either one seeing the light of day anytime soon.
There’s one more project that may or may not be in jeopardy, simply because we haven’t really heard any updates on it in quite some time! World Showcase’s three long-running films (O’ Canada!, Reflections of China, and Impressions de France) were set to receive some sort of update, whether that was with the introduction of an accompanying film like Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, or with a completely new film, like Canada Far and Wide.
The China Pavilion was set to receive a new film called Wondrous China, but the debut of the film was delayed. Since then, Disney has remained suspiciously quiet on when (or if!) we can expect this film to debut in World Showcase.
Things That are Still a Part of the EPCOT Transformation
Now that we’ve reviewed what seems to be on the chopping block, let’s take a look at some of the exciting projects that ARE moving forward and we should be able to experience soon!
Something exciting is coming to the France Pavilion!
The first addition to the park that we’ll soon see is Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in the France Pavilion, along with La Crêperie de Paris! This new dark ride, along with the hybrid table service/counter service dining location will greatly expand the size of the France Pavilion. Both locations are set to open on October 1st, 2021.
The big headliner attraction coming to Future World is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This state-of-the-art roller coaster will use the latest technology (including a reverse launch!) to bring guests on a thrilling ride through the galaxy (and hopefully have a rockin’ soundtrack to go with it!).
For a different kind of attraction,Journey of Water may be set to open sometime in 2021; however, its exact opening timeline is unknown at this time. This walkthrough attraction inspired by the animated film Moana will be adjacent to the Seas Pavilion (in what will soon be known as the “World Nature” area of the park) and will bring guests a new “lush exploration trail” that allows travelers to “play with magical, living water.”
Journey of Water Concept Art
Another addition coming to EPCOT for its transformation is the all-new PLAY! Pavilion. This innovative pavilion with it’s “city” design and will serve as a “digital metropolis,” complete with interactive experiences, games, entertainment, hands-on activities. The PLAY! Pavilion is still under construction inside the old Wonders of Life Pavilion but was another project originally slated to open in time for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. We will let you know once we know more about its updated timeline!
Finally, a smaller but just as touching addition to EPCOT that still seems to be on deck is Dreamers Point. The project will bring a brand-new statue of Walt Disney himself to EPCOT for the first time.
Walt Statue in World Celebration
Dreamers Point will be located in what will be called the “World Celebration” area of the park (AKA at the middle of Future Word!). Originally there was mention of a “wishing tree” that was supposed to be part of this area, but we’ll have to wait and see if that’s included in the final version. The area is currently under construction, so hopefully we’ll have an exact opening timeline soon!
While EPCOT’s Transformation is taking a little longer than we originally anticipated, it looks like most of what was originally announced is still set to join the park sometime in the near future! Hopefully, by the time EPCOT officially turns 40 on October 1st, 2022, we’ll be nearly completed (if not all the way finished!) with the transformation — that means BYE BYE, construction walls!
In case you’re in the area and missed this testing, there will be another fireworks test on Tuesday night, and then the show comes back full force on Thursday. And we will be there taking photos and videos to share with you!
Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
The structure at the site of Journey of Water, an upcoming walkthrough attraction at EPCOT inspired by Moana, is now surrounded by concrete. There’s a doorway leading into the structure, which hides a staircase granting access to underground facilities. Journey of Water will take guests through the beautiful nature of Te Fiti’s island, with several water features for guests to enjoy.
WDWNT is seeking several experienced personnel to assist with our studio productions in Celebration, Florida. Currently we are looking for people having experience with: Studio-based livestream broadcast productions, on YouTube and Vimeo platforms Video switching and production on the NewTek TriCaster platform Audio mixing on the Behringer X32 digital mixer Video camera operation Studio lighting with DMX controllers A successful candidate will: Be self-motivated, and willing and able take on assignments with minimal direction Be extremely flexible and able to […]
Every Disney fan has heard their share of urban legends and spooky stories about Disney World.
TERRIFYING
In fact, some of us have even imagined our own stories about a few creepy things we’ve seen in the parks, like the former creepy clown slide at the pool at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, or the gigantic evil-grinning Jack-in-the-Box at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort. But nothing matches the tales that guests and Cast Members continue to share that revolve around Magic Kingdom.
It IS home to the Haunted Mansion, after all, so it makes sense that guests have found some macabre inspiration to come up with scary stories about the most magical place on Earth. Here are some stories we’ve heard from Cast Members and guests.
Ashes on the Haunted Mansion
So this goes beyond urban legend and is actually fact (as confirmed by The Wall Street Journal) — guests have brought the ashes of their deceased loved ones with them to spread throughout Haunted Mansion. And it happens A LOT. Fortunately, one thing Disney is good at is clean-up: custodians use HEPA filters on industrial-strength vacuums to clean the Haunted Mansion, which means dearly departed Uncle Harold is just going to end up in the trash (so think twice before attempting this. You might have aspirations of sending grandma to rest at her favorite ride but she actually ends up in a vacuum bin in the utilidors!).
No, there isn’t room for one more.
But here’s the thing — this is illegal. It’s also pretty gross. Please don’t do this. Please do not scatter human remains in Disney World, including the Haunted Mansion.
The story of George the Ghost is VERY well known amongst Cast Members and goes a little something like this: when Disney World was working on the construction of Pirates of the Caribbean in the 1970s, a welder named George had a tragic death. Some stories have him falling to his death, while others have him crushed by a falling beam (and no one has confirmed that such a death has ever happened). But the story goes that the ride is now haunted by ghostly sightings and strange happenings if Cast Members don’t do one certain thing.
We wonder what George thinks of Redd?
Cast Members have to say “Good morning!” to the ghost of George every morning when they open the ride for the day and “Good night” when they close it down. If they ignore this, George will be upset and make weird things happen: this could mean that the ride malfunctions, doors will open and close themselves, phones might ring randomly in the control room, lights flicker, and more. George is generally regarded as a playful poltergeist looking to make mischief more than, you know, be actually haunt people.
If you’re wandering around Liberty Square and see an old creepy doll in one of the windows there, just walk on by. Although there isn’t a specific story tied to this Annabelle-wanna’ be, Cast Members do often tell guests that they’ve seen instances where the doll will occasionally move or change positions without anyone touching it.
Where’s the Creepy Doll??
Needless to say, that’s a nope from us! But if you want to see her, look for the building that has a wheelbarrow and cellar door — she’s in the window there.
She’s Watching You…
The reasoning for this doll is actually quite interesting. Dolls were often placed in windows in colonial times to alert firefighters that children lived in that house, in case there was a fire. Interestingly, there’s also a firemen’s brigade crest on the building, signaling to firemen that the family donated money and thus should be saved in the event of a fire.
You might remember long ago when the skies above Fantasyland were dotted with colorful little cars — the Skyway cars, to be exact. The Skyway was a simple ride that took guests from Fantasyland (where the Tangled restrooms are now) to Tomorrowland (the area to the right of Space Mountain) and vice versa. This opening day attraction ran until 1999.
Old Skyway in Fantasyland (Spy the Ticket Booth too?!)
Before the Skyway was officially shut down in Magic Kingdom, there were at least two incidents reportedly related to it, including one worker’s death. In 1999, according to the Orlando Sentinel, a custodian was killed when the Skyway unexpectedly started up while he was cleaning it. Disney was eventually fined $4,500 for a “serious” violation of safety standards.
Disney Skyway Long Sleeve Hoodie
Several months later, the Skyway closed. Disney claimed the attraction was planned to close before the incident occurred. According to the Orlando Sentinal, a Disney rep said, “It’s part of our ongoing efforts to phase out some of the older attractions and introduce new things to keep our parks exciting for our new and repeat visitors,” Walt Disney World spokesman Diane Ledder said Tuesday. “It’s just something whose time has come.” In reality, nothing was built in the spaces that occupied the Skyway stations for many years.
This next one is less ghost story and more “might have done some lasting psychological damage.”
Some of us remember the utter terror of Magic Kingdom’s ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (yep, that was the actual full name, kids!). The attraction was born of the idea to create something that appealed to teens and young adults, and yes, originally the ride was supposed to be based on the Ridley Scott Alien franchise of films. The xenomorph attraction never came to be (if you don’t count the ones you saw briefly on the Great movie Ridei n Hollywood Studios!) but what the attraction Imagineers came up with was still a bit much for Disney guests.
When the attraction soft-opened, guests complained that it was just way too dark (thematically AND physically!). After guests were herded into a scientific facility (AKA theater in the round) to witness a new teleportation device, they were informed that one guest in the room would be transported (terrifying if it was YOU they selected!!). A change in plans ultimately leads an off-planet alien to be transported to YOU instead and now you and your theater of trapped guests were basically now guinea pigs being exposed to a captured — and violent — alien. Of course, the alien escapes and terrorizes guests. Not only that, it violently “murders” the technicians running the demonstration. Yikes. Then it comes after you…strapped in a chair unable to escape. In total darkness.
Yeah, maybe that was a biiiit over the top. And anyone who rode it can distinctly remember the fear the attraction created when the alien was — quite literally — breathing down guests’ necks in the dark. Your harness was stomped on, you were drooled on, and you were growled and screamed at in pitch darkness. Warm breath breathed on your neck, tentacles slapped the back of your head (seriously!), and simulated blood spray (warm water) was splattered on guests, simulating your tech’s deaths!
It was a lot to take in and often resulted in hysterically crying children exiting the theater. Those of us here that remember it don’t do so fondly! It was a trip! Eventually, Disney re-vamped the ride, made it all about Stitch for Stitch’s Great Escape, and took all the frightening fun right out of it (although the hot dog burp still sends shivers down our spine). Now, that ride, too, has been closed.
And it’s back to the Haunted Mansion for another ghost story. One of the most popular ghost sightings that isn’t a part of the 999 Happy Haunts is of a little ghost boy. Some claim to have seen him while, more commonly, Cast Members and guests have reported hearing crying.
Is the Haunted Mansion really haunted?
A guest even claimed to see a child staring at him from a doom buggy in front of him when no child was actually there. A similar ghost boy is said to haunt the Disneyland Mansion as well, but there are far more stories out of that mansion than the Florida counterpart. Similarly, some claim to have seen an older man with a cane. He’s said to be seen riding the doom buggies on the stretch of track between the offload and loading area. We get it — even ghosts want a chance to ride the Mansion!
It makes sense that so many of the creepiest stories at Magic Kingdom revolve around the Haunted Mansion. What makes these myths extra tricky is that there are TWO Mansions (well, more if you count international parks!) and the stories can get crisscrossed. There’s one story that says that the original spellbook in the Haunted Mansion seance room (supposedly in Disney World) is a real tome of witchcraft from the 14th century. Some believe it has actual spells in it and everything! And because of this, Cast Members have trouble keeping it upright, and sometimes, it just vanishes.
Dare you enter?
Rumor has it that the spellbook seen now is a replacement because the original caused so much trouble. The truth? It’s always been just a prop created by Disney Imagineering.
So these are some creepy stories about the Magic Kingdom that you can share over a summer nighttime campfire while making S’mores to scare your friends and family with. And we’ll let you know if we hear any other creepy stories around the parks.
Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
Universal Orlando Resort has shared more about the velociraptors of Jurassic World VelociCoaster, including behind-the-scenes information. The storyline of VelociCoaster takes place before the first Jurassic World film, with the coaster being Claire Dearing’s answer to the demand for more excitement. This is the first time the velociraptors are on public display, giving guests an up-close look at the raptors featured in Jurassic World. Air effects in the queue make the raptors look like they are breathing and they are […]
