When it comes to tiki drinks and fun snacks, there’s one fan-favorite place to visit at Disney World.

Yep, it’s Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto! This fun little tiki bar at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is home to a menu filled with fun cocktails and small bites. There’s only one problem. Seemingly EVERYONE loves this drink spot — and it’s usually crowded. Like, the kind of crowded that you have to join a long wait list to have a chance at getting in. Well, we have a tip for you if you’d like to enjoy an empty and serene Trader Sam’s. 

There are a few nights a year that you can find Trader Sam’s relatively empty. Those nights are all the nights before runDisney races! 

Yep, most of the Disney World visitors/runners on these nights are snug as a bug in their hotel rooms. They’re resting up for that early wake-up call and long distance run that’ll take place the next morning.

While the races begin at 5AM, runners start to arrive as early as 3:30AM. For many runners, especially those wearing costumes and makeup, this means that it’s necessary to wake up as early as 1:30-2AM in most cases!

While celebrating at Trader Sam’s might be an awesome way to celebrate the many miles run, most runners probably aren’t going to pregame a distance race with an alcoholic tiki treat. If they do, we want to know their secret.

This also goes for other popular bars and lounges around Disney World. In some cases, you’ll even find the parks a bit emptier! If you’re hoping to experience an empty park during race weekends, we recommend visiting right in the morning when the runners are still resting up or cleaning themselves up after the race. 

Keep in mind that getting to the parks might be difficult due to road closures, though, so a rule of thumb is to stay within walking distance to the park you’d like to visit, or a hotel that has Monorail or Skyliner access.

We’ll continue to keep you updated with tips and tricks pertaining to the Disney Parks, so make sure to follow along for more!

Looking for more information on runDisney weekends? Click here!

Have you ever visited Disney World during a race weekend? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Disney World Trader Sam’s Secret We Have To Ruin first appeared on the disney food blog.

As if a new Tiana restaurant, Tiana ride re-theme, and all of the other work weren’t enough, Disney is also working to retheme an area of Disney California Adventure Park and it’ll be opening SOON!

August 31st, 2023, marks the grand opening of San Fransokyo Square — the rethemed Pacific Warf area in Disney California Adventure Park, which has received a Big Hero 6 makeover. The new area will feature a Baymax meet-and-greet, a new store, and new eats (some of which are already available!). And now we’ve got an update about one restaurant coming to this area.

One of the spots getting updated as part of this retheme is Pacific Wharf Cafe, which appears like it will be essentially replaced by Aunt Cass Cafe!

This new spot is meant to be “the second bakery café operated by Hiro’s loving aunt,” and it “will serve dishes, soups in freshly-baked Boudin sourdough bread bowls and more inspired by Japanese cuisine.”

Disney already revealed the main menu items that would come to this spot (including new eats) and we got a peek at some of them previously. But now the FULL menu with pricing has been revealed.

Let’s check it out!

In terms of seasonal offerings, it looks like the Vampire Mickey-shaped Sourdough bread will be available here starting September 1st.

Cafe specialties will include Curry Beef ($12.49), Creamy Mac & Cheese ($12.49), a Shrimp Katsu Sandwich ($14.99), and more.

If you’re a plant-based eater, there is a Soba Noodle Salad ($13.99) available here, and various Sourdough bread creations. It looks like the Sourdough Mickey will be available here ($10.99) and the EPIC Baymax Bread will be available here starting August 31st ($11.99).

There will be kids’ meals as well, along with sides…

…some desserts (including a Japanese-style Fluffy Cheesecake for $6.99)…

…alcoholic drinks, and non-alcoholic options too (including the Baymax Sipper!).

If you have allergies, be sure to look at their allergy-friendly menus too.

San Fransokyo Square is set to open on August 31st, so we expect Aunt Cass Cafe will open with it (especially because some of the menu items for this restaurant do note that they’ll be available starting August 31st). But, of course, things are always subject to change so be sure to check and see what the situation is like when you visit!

To see more about what you’ll find at San Fransokyo Square, click here to see our review of some of the NEW eats that have arrived. And see our full page ALL about the land here.

Stay tuned for more news!

Will you be stopping by this restaurant to check it out? Let us know in the comments!

The post FULL Menu and PRICES Announced for Updated Disney Restaurant first appeared on the disney food blog.

After initially reneging on a previously anticipated August 18 release date, Disney Lorcana has now released at the Disneyland Resort this morning, August 28. Due to the time difference, the new trading card game has already been released at Walt Disney World.

Disney Lorcana at Disneyland Resort

The merchandise release is taking place at Disney Pin Traders in the Downtown Disney District. The venue opened at 7 a.m. PT, and as of 8 a.m., there were still crowds.

Much like the Disney Springs experience, laminated informational papers were available to guests, informing them on purchasing restrictions, available items, and a basic overview of Lorcana. The starter decks are being sold for $16.99 each, while the gift pack is being sold for $29.99.

Purchase restrictions are also displayed at the cashier counter.

Disneyland seems to be expecting a large turnout, evidenced by full bins of Disney Lorcana product carted in.

Here’s an overview of what we obtained:

The gift set, including two oversized foil cards, four booster packs, two tracker tokens, and two playable foil cards.

The sapphire and steel starter deck.

The Amber & Amethyst starter deck.

Finally, the Emerald & Ruby starter deck.

Be sure to explore our complete rundown of the starter decks and a full list of all current cards from the game’s app.

Difficult Choices for Local Stores & Mass Market Embargo Violations

Outside of the parks, Disney Lorcana stock allocation concerns have left Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS) with challenging decisions to make ahead of the release.

One of our writers attended a FLGS Learn To Play release at Dragon Fire Games in Lynchburg, Virginia. The event was sold out, and the owner, Evan Garrett, decided to sell his entire stock allocation at MSRP, using a raffle drawing for event attendees to choose one additional item from his small allocation and up to 12 booster packs.

“I chose to sell [our Lorcana stock] at MSRP because I wanted to grow the community here for gameplay,” said Garrett.

Selling at the highest price point might create a short term benefit, but long-term it would prevent the people who want to play the game from playing the game, and if this game is to succeed, it needs players playing the game!

The high market values of the limited Lorcana stock have led other shops to go in a different direction. MSRP for a Gift Set, for example, is $29.99; as of the writing of this article, TCGPlayer.com has the market value of that same set for $61.50, more than double its MSRP.

Some FLGS owners have defended their decisions to price their Lorcana stock competitively with online resellers, citing that the shop making the money instead of the resellers keeps their brick and mortar doors open and provides a space in the long term for players to play. Still, others have broken down multipacks to sell individual boosters from within these sets to ensure players have enough cards to participate.

When Ravensburger chose to give the game first to local game shops August 18, it withheld Lorcana stock from mass markets such as Target, Walmart, and Best Buy; however, to hit shelves on September 1, shipments to these big box retailers have to arrive prior to that date so they may be stocked. Whether intentional or not, Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Louisiana have Disney Lorcana product for sale at big box stores.

Lorcana: The First Chapter starter decks and booster packs were spotted at a South Carolina Walmart store. The booster packs (MSRP $5.99) were being sold for $7, and the starter decks (MSRP $16.99) were being sold for $20 each.

Welp… let the madness begin. Went to Walmart when I saw the pictures and this was ALL the @DisneyLorcana they had. For those of you who were hoping to get product in Sept. 1st and for singles to drop… might wanna start checking your stores. pic.twitter.com/nL0ssr9NfS

— BSquared24 Miami TCG Con (@BSquared24YT) August 26, 2023

In addition to releasing several days before the approved September 1 date, the image from BSquared24 on X above shows the gift set price below the product as $34.98 in Ruston, Louisiana. This is a markup from the MSRP of $29.99.

Are you hoping to begin a Disney Lorcana collection? Let us know in the comments.

Learn to play this exciting new game with us in the video above, or, if you’re interested in following the narrative of the game, Ravensburger has released a teaser video for the story.

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post Disney Lorcana Sales Officially Launch at Disneyland Resort appeared first on WDW News Today.

Work continues on the overall transformation of EPCOT, with World Celebration being a major focal point of the construction. We have new on-the-ground updates of the neighborhood, as well as aerial overviews from bioreconstruct.

EPCOT Playground Construction

Construction has finally started to make some headway in the former playground area by Journey Into Imagination with Figment.

We noticed a couple of cinderblock-based structures going vertical in the construction area, though it is unclear what they could be.

Here is one of the two structures, off to the left of the dirt area.

Here is the second cinderblock structure, off to the right.

Various sections of the construction area have also been notated with yellow tape and other markers.

CommuniCore Hall

Over at CommuniCore Hall, we spotted a cherry picker up in the air near all of the light-up spires in the plaza.

The yellow sheathing that was previously present on the bottom right of CommuniCore Hall’s entrance area appears to have been almost completely removed. More metal structural beams appear to also have been added here.

Here’s another look at the mid-air cherry picker. It’s quite far away from any of the spires, so it’s unclear exactly what they would’ve been working on. Lighting was added to the spires earlier this month.

What looks like insulation is being installed on the other side of CommuniCore Hall.

Aerial View of World Celebration

In these two photos from bioreconstruct, you can clearly see the 5-ring EPCOT logo embedded in the ground in World Celebration.

This structure has come a long way, and now really resembles the EPCOT logo it emulates. You can see the five rings raised up from the ground around it.

This aerial view of World Celebration shows how far construction has come, and how much is left to go. While there is still a lot of dirt present, the landscaping in the World Celebration plaza is promising.

This aerial angle of World Celebration gives us an idea of what paths the guest walkways will take once the neighborhood is complete. The EPCOT logo structure can be seen right in the center.

This aerial photo of World Celebration indicates various projects happening in the center plaza. At point 1, work continues on garden beds that may have palm trees. There also seems to be some kind of viewing area for the CommuniCore Plaza stage here.

Point 2 denotes Dreamers Point, where a statue of Walt Disney will one day sit. Over on the right at point 3, a new wall structure has gone up, though it is unclear what this is for.

Of course, point 4 is the 5-ring EPCOT logo at the center.

In this photo, point 1 marks recent concrete forms that have been blocked out with wood to help retain their shape. Point 2 shows a garden bed, which is constructed in a different shape rather than the uniform pie wedge.

Point 3 indicates the beginning of a pavement pattern that is meant to join the garden area of the plaza. Up toward the top of the image is the 5-ring EPCOT logo at point 4.

Point 5, if you zoom in closely, is what remains of a 1990s 5-ring EPCOT logo embedded in the pavement.

This photo, while it is of World Celebration, gives a great glimpse at Journey of Water Inspired by Moana in World Nature, seen at the top of the photo.

It is unlikely that these areas will be ready by the time the Disney100 celebrations at EPCOT begin on September 22.

Aerial View of CommuniCore Hall

Here’s an aerial look at current construction for CommuniCore Hall and Plaza. Scaffolding remains on the left side of the building, and the yellow sheathing on the front is nearly gone, save for one entrance over to the front right.

Other scaffolding is still present in front of the middle portion of the Hall, with the spires in front. Many boxes and materials are staged in the center of the spires as work in the area continues.

Aerial View of Dreamers Point

This aerial look at Dreamers Point shows a clearer picture of where the statue of Walt Disney will one day be installed. Various concrete constructions can be seen in this area; the short-walled structures could potentially be flower beds.

This concept art shows what the Walt the Dreamer statue will look like once installed.

Aerial View of Guest Walkways by Spaceship Earth

Our final aerial look at EPCOT from bioreconstruct shows the current guest walkways around Spaceship Earth. The construction for Dreamers Point can be seen at the bottom of the photo.

Once complete, these paths will eventually lead into Dreamers Point, rather than guests having to be re-routed around the construction completely.

What do you think of the latest construction updates for EPCOT and World Celebration? Are you excited to see the construction walls one day come down? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post PHOTOS: Detailed Aerial Views of World Celebration Construction & New Concrete Structures Go Up in Former Playground Area at EPCOT appeared first on WDW News Today.

After initially reneging on a previously anticipated August 18 release date, Disney Lorcana has now released at Walt Disney World this morning, August 28.

Disney Lorcana Arrives at Walt Disney World

The merchandise release is taking place at World of Disney in Disney Springs.

Limits are in place due to the scarcity and popularity of this new trading card game. Only two gift sets and any combination of two starter decks per guest, per day are allowed. There are no holds, phone orders, or home shipments provided, returns and exchanges will not be processed, and as we previously reported, no discounts (or coupons) are being accepted.

Just past 9 a.m. ET, a designated queue already began accumulating guests.

By 9:30 a.m., the lineup intensified.

While waiting, laminated guides to purchase restrictions, available products, and basic information on Disney Lorcana was distributed for people to study.

At this point in the day, the line moved fairly swiftly, and we were already inside the store well before 10 a.m.

Stacks of gift sets and starter decks adorned this table behind the cashier station.

Here they are — all of the products available at World of Disney for Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter — Sapphier & Steel above, with Amber & Amethyst below.

Emerald & Ruby next.

Finally, the gift set, including two oversized foil cards.

Here are all of the starter decks placed together, followed by an assortment of images showcasing everything we picked up this morning.

Be sure to explore our complete rundown of the starter decks and a full list of all current cards from the game’s app.

Difficult Choices for Local Stores & Mass Market Embargo Violations

Outside of the parks, Disney Lorcana stock allocation concerns have left Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS) with challenging decisions to make ahead of the release.

One of our writers attended a FLGS Learn To Play release at Dragon Fire Games in Lynchburg, Virginia. The event was sold out, and the owner, Evan Garrett, decided to sell his entire stock allocation at MSRP, using a raffle drawing for event attendees to choose one additional item from his small allocation and up to 12 booster packs.

“I chose to sell [our Lorcana stock] at MSRP because I wanted to grow the community here for gameplay,” said Garrett.

Selling at the highest price point might create a short term benefit, but long-term it would prevent the people who want to play the game from playing the game, and if this game is to succeed, it needs players playing the game!

The high market values of the limited Lorcana stock have led other shops to go in a different direction. MSRP for a Gift Set, for example, is $29.99; as of the writing of this article, TCGPlayer.com has the market value of that same set for $61.50, more than double its MSRP.

Some FLGS owners have defended their decisions to price their Lorcana stock competitively with online resellers, citing that the shop making the money instead of the resellers keeps their brick and mortar doors open and provides a space in the long term for players to play. Still, others have broken down multipacks to sell individual boosters from within these sets to ensure players have enough cards to participate.

When Ravensburger chose to give the game first to local game shops August 18, it withheld Lorcana stock from mass markets such as Target, Walmart, and Best Buy; however, to hit shelves on September 1, shipments to these big box retailers have to arrive prior to that date so they may be stocked. Whether intentional or not, Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Louisiana have Disney Lorcana product for sale at big box stores.

Lorcana: The First Chapter starter decks and booster packs were spotted at a South Carolina Walmart store. The booster packs (MSRP $5.99) were being sold for $7, and the starter decks (MSRP $16.99) were being sold for $20 each.

Welp… let the madness begin. Went to Walmart when I saw the pictures and this was ALL the @DisneyLorcana they had. For those of you who were hoping to get product in Sept. 1st and for singles to drop… might wanna start checking your stores. pic.twitter.com/nL0ssr9NfS

— BSquared24 Miami TCG Con (@BSquared24YT) August 26, 2023

In addition to releasing several days before the approved September 1 date, the image from BSquared24 on X above shows the gift set price below the product as $34.98 in Ruston, Louisiana. This is a markup from the MSRP of $29.99.

Are you hoping to begin a Disney Lorcana collection? Let us know in the comments.

Learn to play this exciting new game with us in the video above, or, if you’re interested in following the narrative of the game, Ravensburger has released a teaser video for the story.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Disney Lorcana Sales Officially Launch at Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW News Today.

Visiting Disney World during hurricane season can mean preparing for an entirely different sort of trip and with a tropical storm on the way you need to stay updated.

We’ve been keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Idalia which has already caused Florida officials to declare a State of Emergency in 33 counties. And now, Disney World is under a Tropical Storm Watch.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Orange and Osceola Counties per WESH news — the two in which Disney World is located.

As of 9AM ET on August 28th, the center of Tropical Storm Idalia is around 125 miles south of the tip of western Cuba and moving north at around 7 mph. It’s expected to approach the Gulf Coast on Tuesday night and into Wednesday as a major hurricane.

8am intermediate #Idalia advisory has been issued; Here’s the latest on the storm… pic.twitter.com/j26rHRo3ug

— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) August 28, 2023

This essentially means that Disney World is located in an area with a high chance of tropical storm conditions occurring. That can include showers, squalls, and thunderstorms during the outer rain bands with increasing wind speeds as the storm makes landfall.

Tropical storm force winds are expected to potentially reach inner portions of Central Florida on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Experts have shared that two to four inches of rain may impact Osceola and Orange Counties as well.

If you’ll be in Disney World during the storm, make sure you stay updated on the latest news from experts and keep an eye out for any additional information from Disney. In the past, we’ve seen the parks close for safety — but select hotels remain open for those who are already on property.

We’ve been at Disney World during multiple hurricanes, and we’ve got lots of tips on how to prepare for hurricane season at the resort. The most important thing to remember if you’re visiting during a storm like this is to listen to the Cast Members. They’re trained in situations like this to best keep guests safe and Disney will usually have a plan in place.

We’ll continue to monitor Tropical Storm Idalia as it moves toward Florida, so stay tuned to DFB for updates.

How To Handle the WORST-Case Scenario During Hurricane Season in Disney World

The post NEWS: Tropical Storm Watch Announced for Disney World Counties first appeared on the disney food blog.

Disneyland Paris has shared a new “grand reopening” window for the reimagined Disneyland Hotel, as well as a date for when new bookings will open.

Disneyland Hotel ‘Grand Reopening’

The reimagined hotel is set to reopen in the first quarter of 2024, which means sometime between January and March.

The hotel will transport guests into the world of many royal Disney characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios films, including “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Aladdin,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Princess and the Frog,” and more recent titles like “Frozen,” “Moana,” and “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

The exact reopening date of the Disneyland Hotel and more information will be released when bookings open on September 12.

Are you excited to see this reimagined hotel? Who is your favorite Disney Princess? Let us know in the comments.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Reimagined Disneyland Hotel Sets Grand Reopening Window at Disneyland Paris, Bookings Open September 12 appeared first on WDW News Today.