We are celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and over the last few weeks, we’ve been sharing some of the recipes that Disney has released in honor of the occasion. This week, we’ve seen a new special recipe shared on Disney Parks Blog from Walt Disney World Chef Kevin Chong, who has used his Korean heritage and his “Mama Chong” to inspire his cooking. The Koran Fried Chicken Bowl is full of Korean flavors, featuring double-fried chicken thighs tossed with Gochujang sauce, sesame seeds, green onions, and namasu (pickled cucumbers). 

“I was born in Korea, but growing up in Hawaii helped me see the importance of celebrating diversity and understanding each other’s cultures,” Chef Kevin said. “One of my favorite memories from living in Hawaii is the shared expression of Aloha – or love – through food. Sharing a meal together is one of my favorite ways to experience different cultures.” If you’d like to recreate this dish at home with your family, click here for a printable version of the recipe! 

Chef Kevin Chong

Korean Fried Chicken Bowl with Cucumber Namasu Recipe

CUCUMBER NAMASU:
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS FOR CUCUMBER NAMASU:
Combine rice wine vinegar, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumbers and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to 1 day.

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GOCHUJANG SAUCE:
1/2 cup gochujang paste
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS FOR GOCHUJANG SAUCE:
Combine gochujang paste, ketchup, minced garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and continue simmering for 10 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

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DOUBLE-FRIED CHICKEN THIGHS:
Oil, for frying
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless
chicken thighs
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper

DIRECTIONS FOR DOUBLE-FRIED CHICKEN THIGHS:
Place a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet. Set aside. With caution, heat oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 325°F. Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Whisk potato starch, all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish or pie plate. Coat chicken thighs in flour mixture. Carefully fry chicken for 3-4 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain chicken on a reserved cooling rack set over the baking sheet. With caution, increase oil heat to 375°. Fry chicken a second time for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Return to cooling rack.

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KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN BOWLS:
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
2 green onions, sliced
3 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup cilantro leaves

TO SERVE:
Pour gochujang sauce into a large bowl. Purée with an immersion blender until smooth. Add chicken to a bowl and toss until coated. Add sesame seeds and sliced green onions to the bowl and stir to combine. Evenly divide rice among 4 bowls. Top rice with chicken and cucumber namasu. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

The post Disney Recipes: Korean Fried Chicken Bowl for AAPI Month first appeared on DIS.

We spied new menu boards have been added to registers at the refurbished Refreshment Station near Test Track in EPCOT.

Menu Boards Added to Refreshment Station Registers Near Test Track

They newly refurbished Refreshment Station near test track is sporting the red and silver palette we’ve seen throughout the World Discovery neighborhood.

The registers have received new menu boards as part of the refurbishment process.

The boards have an image of a bubbling slushy on the bottom, and bright white text.

The two slushy options at this stand are a frozen Coca-Cola for $5.25, and a Fanta Banana slushy topped with caramel and blueberries for $6.00

Other Construction at EPCOT

Several other major construction projects are currently taking place at this park. Construction walls have been lining walkways and blocking of sections of EPCOT for years.

With the ComminiCore Hall Construction, Journey of Water Inspired by Moana attraction construction, and the finishing of the removal of the Harmonious barges, EPCOT is undergoing a lot of change right now.

Journey of Water Inspired by ‘Moana’ Construction Update

According to CEO Bob Iger, Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana” is the last step in the years-long EPCOT reimagining. It’s expected to open later this year, along with Dreamer’s Point, CommuniCore Hall, and CommuniCore Plaza.

Journey of Water concept art shows flowing waterfalls as well as water jumping over pathways. The giant Te Fiti statue sits next to a pool of water near the back of the area. This will be a walk-through attraction.

Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana” is part of the World Nature neighborhood of EPCOT. It is set to open this fall.

Check out our list of every new attraction coming to Disney Parks in 2023, which includes Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana.” The walkthrough attraction may include some MagicBand+ interaction.

Harmonious Barge Removal

Aerial photographer @bioreconstruct shared photos of Harmonious barges being demolished backstage at EPCOT. All four of the taco-shaped barges, plus the circular “stargate” barge, have now been removed from World Showcase Lagoon. The final performance of Harmonious was on April 2, and the first barge was gone as of April 10.

In bioreconstruct’s photos, the circular barge and the second taco barge are parked in the marina, while the deconstruction of the first taco barge continues. At this time, all the barges have been removed from World Showcase Lagoon.

The photos offer a close-up view of one of the barges being taken apart, with pieces in piles on the construction site. The barge now barely resembles its previous taco shape.

For more construction updates on EPCOT, check out these stories:

• Weatherproof Sheathing Installed on CommuniCore Hall as Construction Continues at EPCOT
• PHOTOS: EPCOT Popcorn Stand Gets World Discovery Makeover
• PHOTOS: Façade Chipped as Work Continues on Morocco Pavilion Roof Refurbishment at EPCOT

Will you be stopping for a Fanta Banana slushy? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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The Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT is one of the most beautiful ones in World Showcase. This place used to be filled with vibrant stores selling authentic merchandise, and it truly felt like you were no longer in a theme park. I used to wander around the pavilion, looking at all the shops and seeing all the beautiful clothing they sold. Now those spaces are hollow and closed off. The pavilion is still captivating; it just feels empty.

Recently I visited the pavilion and spent some time strolling through all the different areas. While looking around, I started to think, “If I could add anything to this pavilion, what would it be” and my answer was, “Well, I would add anything; I would just bring everything back.” I would love to speak with cast members from Morocco and see all the fun merchandise they used to sell. Another thing I’d love to see is Aladdin join Jasmine in the meet-and-greet location or even the Genie.

Something else I would love to see make a return is Restaurant Marrakesh. This dining location was located at the back of the pavilion, and they had belly dancers perform during the meal. I loved this restaurant so much that this is where I picked to have my 15th birthday dinner. I thought this table service experience brought so much value to the pavilion. In addition to that, I would love to see another quick service spot, even if it’s just a walk-up window. Tangierine Cafe has been a festival booth for the past few years, so there isn’t an actual quick-service dining option here.

Now there is one thing I would add. I would love to see atmosphere actors in the pavilion, whether it is stunt actors looking for Aladdin or its original characters that Disney creates to fit into the area. I got this idea because, down the street at Islands of Adventure, they added atmosphere actors to the park’s entrance. They are original characters, and the actors get to improv and interact with guests that are entering or exiting the park. After seeing that, I immediately thought about how much that could help the Morocco Pavilion.

Now that I’ve shared my thoughts on all of this, I am interested to know what you think. What would you add to the Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT? Let us know in the comments below.

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Unique Souvenirs, Inc., the creators of Universal’s Mold-A-Rama machines, has shared a first look at two of the mold figures that will be available in the Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Tribute Store at Universal Studios Florida.

Jurassic Park Mold-A-Rama Figures

The two figures are a black Velociraptor claw — similar to the one Alan Grant used to terrify a child at the beginning of “Jurassic Park” — and a green version of the Jurassic Park entrance gates.

According to Unique Souvenirs, Inc., a third figure will be available later. Perhaps of a dinosaur?

Jurassic Park Tribute Store

The Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Tribute Store’s façade went up earlier this month. The entrance is set up at Studio Styles, and the store will likely use that space plus the Darkroom and Williams of Hollywood (as the Mardi Gras tribute store did). The Jurassic Park Tribute Store will feature a look inside the film’s sets rather than transport guests into the film itself.

After Team Member and Annual Passholder previews on Thursday, May 25, the Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Tribute Store will open to all guests on Friday, May 26.

Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Celebration at Universal Parks

Theme park celebrations, as well as exclusive film and new 90s-inspired nostalgia products, will be hitting retail throughout the year to celebrate a franchise 65 million years in the making. Highlights include specialty food and merchandise outlets as well as limited-edition anniversary branded merchandise.

As part of Universal’s marketing plan to get everyone excited for the event, a faux Jurassic Park training video set in the 1990s was recently released for the first generation of InGen scientists. The video featured Mr. DNA as the narrator.

Universal Orlando Resort

Jurassic June celebrations at Universal Orlando Resort include specialty food and beverages, exclusive merchandise and the takeover at the Tribute Store.

In addition, a new complimentary “Jurassic Park” Universal Orlando Resort Annual Passholder magnet is currently available as part of a month of UOAP benefits.

To find out details about how Universal plans to celebrate Jurassic June at other parks around the globe, take a look at our full write-up here.

Jurassic Park at Universal Parks Worldwide

There are of course so many ways to experience the world of Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando Resort and at other Universal Parks worldwide! Here at Universal Orlando, there’s an entire land dedicated to the franchise at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

The three main attractions are Jurassic Park River Adventure, which sails you through the park to encounter various dinosaurs, Pteranodon Flyers, a kids-only journey above the skies of kiddie area Camp Jurassic, and the newest addition to the park — Jurassic World VelociCoaster! This exciting coaster takes you on a journey through the velociraptor paddock at Jurassic World and is the first ride at Universal Orlando to be based on the latest trilogy of “Jurassic” films, featuring appearances by Chris Pratt as Owen Grady and Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing.

Across the country at Universal Studios Hollywood, the Jurassic Park attraction got a heavy retheme at that park to become Jurassic World: The Ride. Featuring a combination of screen effects and audio-animatronics, the ride is still largely the same, taking guests on a tour through Jurassic World. But now at the ride’s exciting climax, you come face-to-face with the impressive Indominus Rex animatronic!

At Universal Studios Japan, a mirrored clone of Jurassic Park: The Ride opened with the park in 2001, and a flying coaster called The Flying Dinosaur lets guests experience the thrill of soaring above the skies with a pteranodon. It’s often described as one of the most intense coasters at any Universal park!

Universal Studios Singapore features a unique take on the Jurassic Park River Adventure attraction, with a circular raft system similar to Kali River Rapids at Disney’s Animal Kingdom rather than boats. There’s also a short Pteranodon Flyers-like attraction called Canopy Flyers which all ages can ride.

Finally, at Universal Studios Beijing, two completely original attractions were created for the park based on the newer trilogy. Jurassic World Adventure is an indoor dark ride that takes guests on a journey through Isla Nubar complete with an animatronic dinosaur chasing riders! And Jurassic Flyers takes guests on a soaring journey above the island, in a much more thrill ride sense than in Orlando or Singapore.

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

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