Hurricane Idalia is a major storm and is causing a lot of serious damage throughout the state, but the Orlando area has thankfully been spared from the worst of it. While it is important to take this type of weather seriously, Disney World has a lot of systems in place to make sure its guests stay safe.
Rain from Hurricane #Idalia is falling in Disney World, and the theme parks are operating as normal today. We’re thankful that our Orlando team is safe and we’re sending love to those heavily affected by the storm! pic.twitter.com/9JiHHTQxPf
Currently, the outer bands of the storm are affecting the area, so we’ve seen rain and wind gusts come and go in severity throughout the morning.
Magic Kingdom during Hurricane Idalia
If you are heading to the parks today, you might want to reconsider an umbrella and instead opt for a rain jacket or poncho. The wind can make carrying an umbrella tricky!
The parks have seemed rather quiet today, starting with a fairly empty parking lot in EPCOT and pretty low wait times.
Empty parking lot
Some rides have temporarily closed due to the weather, and Disney also canceled one showing of its stage show — Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire — at the time of writing.
More specifically, Fantasy Springs will join the other seven ports at the Tokyo DisneySea Park. Look out for brand-new rides, restaurants, a gift shop, and even a hotel! It is currently set to open in the spring of 2024 (and we can’t WAIT!).
OK, back to that new hotel we mentioned. The Fantasy Springs Hotel will have nine floors and 475 guest rooms in total. 419 of those rooms are part of the Fantasy Chateau, and 56 are part of the Grand Chateau. What’s the difference? Well, the Fantasy Chateau features deluxe rooms decorated with “the flora and fauna of Fantasy Springs,” while the Grand Chateau has luxury rooms that provide “the finest accommodation experience at Tokyo Disney Resort.” How fancy!
The hotel will have three restaurants: Grand Paradis Lounge, Fantasy Springs Restaurant, and La Libelluele. Tokyo Disneyland shared that Fantasy Springs Restaurant will be a buffet-style restaurant featuring “paintings inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Tangled, and Sleeping Beauty.” The Grand Paradis Lounge will be a new lobby lounge for guests to enjoy after a day in the park. And finally, La Libellule is set to be a French cuisine restaurant that offers unique views of Fantasy Springs.
But that’s not all! The new La Libellule restaurant will be exclusive to guests staying in the Grand Chateau at the Fantasy Springs Hotel. With only 56 Grand Chateau guest rooms, that’s about as exclusive as it gets! Just looking at this stunning concept art, it certainly seems like this will be a luxurious, opulent hotel.
Well, is anyone else ready to start packing for Tokyo? We can’t wait to learn more about the La Libellule menu (and all the other new restaurants and snack spots). In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.
Ticketless packages with Disney Dining Plans are now available to book for stays at Walt Disney World beginning January 9, 2024. This change will accommodate guests who have booked back-to-back reservations at different Disney Resort hotels by allowing them to book a room and Dining Plan without having to add theme park tickets to the package.
These special packages will need to be booked over the phone, directly with Disney, so please reach out to your Dreams Unlimited Travel agent for assistance with booking.
The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Sports will make its TV debut on Tuesday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and available after the initial airing for on-demand streaming on ESPN+. This production examines the relationship between sports and hip-hop. What’s Happening: Sports and Hip Hop are two pillars of Black culture […]
The horror is almost here! Today, Universal Orlando Annual Passholders get to preview this year’s Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store, and Universal has shared a few photos from inside. One room is themed to Private Investigator Boris Shuster, the subject of the Case Files Unearthed: Legendary Truth house at the event in 2021. The character comes directly […]
runDisney has updated its costuming guidelines for future races to make a few extra restrictions for guest safety.
runDisney Costuming Policy
An email went out to registrants of the runDisney 2023 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon to explain the changes to the costume policy for race participants.
The new updates to the policy are as follows:
Layered costumes that could conceal prohibited items are not permitted.
Costume props including, without limitation, those that surround the entire body, are inflatable, or physically connect multiple participants to each other are not permitted.
Foam swords and all-plastic lightsabers may be permitted, however, they may not exceed 36″ in length.
What are your thoughts on the new runDisney costume policy updates? Let us know in the comments.
2024 runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend
runDisney has announced the themes for the 2024 Springtime Surprise races and a new post-race event at Typhoon Lagoon.
Neverland 5K
Runners, take flight for the first event of the race weekend with the Neverland 5K! Join favorite characters from Disney Animation’s Peter Pan for a magical 3.1-mile run that will take you toward the “second star to the right and straight on ’til morning” to find the finish line!
Adventure is Out There 10K
The finish line must be explored! Runners, join the Adventure Is Out There 10K for an exhilarating 6.2-mile race inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Up. Encounter some beloved characters like Russell, Dug, Carl, and even Kevin amidst a course inspired by South American landscapes and a sky of balloons.
Hakuna Matata 10-Miler
It’s the ‘mane’ event you’ve been waiting for – the Hakuna Matata 10-Miler, an epic running journey inspired by Disney Animation’s The Lion King. From savannas and jungles to Pride Rock and Hakuna Matata Falls, join Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa on this roaring run, where the rhythm of African drums and the spirit of the Circle of Life will guide you to the finish line.
Stitch’s ‘Ohana Challenge
Up for an out-of-this-world challenge? Say aloha to Stitch’s Ohana Challenge, inspired by Disney Animation’s Lilo & Stitch, where completing all the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend races—5K, 10K, and 10-Miler—earns you not just bragging rights, but a special medal honoring the magic of togetherness, where no one and no adventure is left behind.
Springtime Surprise Splash
The new post-race event is the Springtime Surprise Splash at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. It costs $85 per person and will take place at 7:00 p.m. on April 21, 2024.
General registration opens on August 22, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. ET.
runDisney Virtual Races
You can also plan to join the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend fun – virtually! Whether you’re looking for motivation to train for a future runDisney race or get a taste of the magic wherever you run, virtual race events are a great way to reward yourself for staying active! Head over to runDisney.com to learn more about the 2024 Virtual runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend.
Springtime Surprise Registration Dates and Times
Runners wanting to join for this year’s event should mark their calendars for the following registration dates and times:
A hurricane is currently flying over Florida right now, AND there is a tornado watch! Would you brave these for the amazing wait times currently posted? A hurricane and a tornado watch This week has been all about Hurricane Idalia and how it may affect Disney World operations. Disney did close a couple attractions, activated […]
Wanting to get a head start on your Disney Dining Plan before your 2024 trip? Select packages are now available to book! The DDP returns Potentially save time and money on your Disney World vacation by purchasing a Disney Dining Plan. Enjoy a certain number of prepaid meals and snacks during your stay to make […]
How chaotic, you ask? Let’s just say one such event involves a lot — and we mean a lot — of toilet paper (IYKYK). Just when we think we’ve seen it all, Disney does something that proves it truly never stops innovating, even if it means the innovation is a little… absurd. We’re sharing ridiculous things Disney should never do again and one it absolutely should.
While there may be some things Disney should never do again, there is one it should 100% bring back and we will pray to Mickey Mouse himself if that’s what it takes. But, anyway…
Things Disney Should NEVER Do Again
Toilet Paper Cinderella Castle
Despite what you may be thinking, no — it wasn’t a group of rowdy teenagers out to play a prank. No, the incident we’re speaking of was entirely Disney’s design. When Stitch’s Great Escape debuted in Magic Kingdom in 2004, Disney took to marketing the attraction in true Stitch style — by making it look like he had vandalized Cinderella Castle with toilet paper!
via Imgur
Not only was there toilet paper, but it also looked like Stitch had tagged the castle with some graffiti. Luckily, this chaos only lasted for one day and then Disney quickly turned everything back to normal overnight. The park was even decked out with Stitch Wanted posters. The castle has had many different looks in its day, but this one is one we don’t think Disney should repeat any time soon.
Substitute an Animatronic for a Plant
Okay, while this one did make our list, we must admit that we kind of loved everything about this situation — even if it was unfortunate. Let us introduce you to Plant Donald. Plant Donald wasn’t around for a long time, but he was around for a good time. Gran Fiesta Tour starring the Three Caballeros may not be the most popular attraction in EPCOT’s Mexico Pavilion (because the margaritas are, duh) but for a brief time it was all we could talk about.
Apparently, the actual Donald animatronic needed some repairs, so Disney removed it to make that happen. But, instead of totally blocking this scene off or just the area where Donald is normally found — Disney replaced him with a plant. Yes, a plant. Oh, and the plant was wearing a sombrero. No, we’re not kidding and yes, we kind of miss him.
Let the Line for a Popcorn Bucket Wrap All the Way Around EPCOT
Folks who wanted their own were forced to stand in line, and since Disney hadn’t prepared for such demand, the line was kind of all over the place. Eventually, the demand faded, and since then Disney has introduced a Virtual Queue system for Figment’s reunion tour.
Put a Terrifying Ride in Magic Kingdom
When you think of Magic Kingdom, you probably think of an utterly spine-chilling Alien-abduction scenario, right? Just us? Hm. In any case, back in 1995, ExtraTERRORestrail Alien Encounter opened its doors and began its reign of terror. The original plan would have guests encounter xenomorphs, from the 1979 movie Alien. But Disney decided that was too scary, so they developed an original storyline that was “less scary.”
via AllEars.net
Spoiler alert: It was not less scary. Disney enlisted the help of George Lucas who developed a story in which guests become the helpless prey to an alien monster. The attraction was in an immersive theater and involved guests being strapped down into a seat while the theater around them started crawling with aliens — in pitch darkness.
Tomorrowland
Harnessed into the seat, folks watched as the teleportation device malfunctioned, causing a bloodthirsty alien to be teleported into the room. From there, the special effects made it so that you could hear, smell, and even feel the alien roaming the room around you. No thanks.
Things Disney Should ABSOLUTELY Do Again
Gather round, dear DFB readers, and let us regale you with a fairy tale. You see, there was a time when Disney let people bring their dogs into Magic Kingdom. Yes, you read that correctly. Okay, okay, it wasn’t like just anyone could waltz through the gates with Rover and have a magical day — there was a catch. Folks could enter a contest and win a trip to Disney World with their dog. No, we’re not okay either.
Bring it in, Pluto!
The 2014 Disney Side Dog’s Day at Magic Kingdomcontest brought 101 dogs to the park before it opened for the day. Disney even rolled out a green carpet down Main Street! Oh, and the dogs were in costumes. It was dubbed as the “First Ever” Disney Side Dog’s Day — but it should have been named the “Only Ever” Day instead because it never happened again. Out of all the ridiculous things Disney has done — this is the one they should absolutely bring back and we will be impatiently waiting until they do. On an unrelated note, does anyone have Bob Iger’s phone number?
BOOP
Stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney news and more!
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
If you’re wanting to reach some new fitness goals and are a Marvel fan you will love the new Marvel Move. Walk, jog, and run alongside Super Heroes like the X-Men, Thor, Hulk, and Doctor Strange in thrilling interactive audio adventures. What’s Happening: Marvel Move is a new interactive fitness adventure for smartphones. The collaboration features […]
#Idalia pic.twitter.com/xRgkKFmG3K
