But, sadly, the time has come for us to once again say goodbye to Soarin’ Over California. Yes, it’s true — Soarin’ Around the World is back in EPCOT.
As of February 28th, Soarin’ Over California is no longer in EPCOT — instead, the “normal” version of the ride, Soarin’ Around the World, is back.
Soarin’ Around the World is back
Disney announced that Soarin’ Over California would be around for the company’s 100th anniversary, but the update stuck around long after the festivities ended. We had been wondering if Disney would take the original version of the attraction away again, and now it seems it’s finally happened.
Soarin’ Over California
It’s interesting to note that Disney has updated this attraction on the first day of theEPCOT Flower & Garden Festival, though no word has been shared on whether or not the two have anything to do with each other.
Miguel and Dante from “Coco”!
If you still want to experience Soarin’ Over California, you can still do so in Disneyland. Stay tuned to DFB for the latest updates and news from around Disney World!
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!
What’s your favorite EPCOT ride? Tell us in the comments.
Some, as we know, are outstanding in their positions and it can be tough to see them go. While they depart the company to bigger and better endeavors, others come in to fill their shoes. That’s the case for a Disney president who is moving on and someone new comes to take their place in the live-action movie business.
According to Deadline, Sean Bailey, Walt Disney’s President of Motion Picture Studios, is leaving the company after 15 years of great success. Sean Bailey has most recently turned Disney’s animation movie collection into a multibillion-dollar live-action movie success.
Sean Bailey Getty Images via Deadline
The person taking Bailey’s place, effective immediately, is David Greenbaum, who is currently serving as Searchlight co-president. Searchlight is the company responsible for the new movie Poor Things, which is in the running for Best Picture and other Oscar categories. When Greenbaum takes over for Bailey (after the Disney production of Tron: Ares), he will receive the title President, Disney Live Action, and 20th Century Studios.
David Greenbaum Getty Images via Deadline
Steve Asbell will stay on as President, 20th Century Studios, but he will report to Greenbaum, in his new position. Bailey joined Disney as the producer of Tron Legacy, and he will stay on for a bit to produce Tron: Ares, a cool full-circle career. During his time at Disney, Bailey also took on the role of producing live-action movies for Disney+ when the streaming platform began. He was part of Lady and the Tramp, Pinocchio,Hocus Pocus 2, and more. He is leaving to explore entrepreneurial endeavors.
Lady and the Tramp statues in Magic Kingdom
Greenbaum will be a new asset to the Disney live-action section as he brings a look at fresh and original ideas. Some of the top titles that he worked on are movies such as Black Swan, The Shape of Water, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and more. Both gentlemen are looking forward to their future endeavors in Disney and out for Bailey.
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!
Do you like the live-action Disney movies? Let us know in the comments!
The Walt Disney Company created a “Fact vs Fiction” page on its website (filed under “Our Growth Strategy”). The page starts with a statement from Disney: “The truth matters. Shareholders rightfully expect directors to base their statements on facts. The activists and their nominees have not lived up to this expectation.”
From there, Disney goes on to highlight eight false claims and opposing statements to debunk each false claim. Point one discredits the idea that Nelson Peltz has the media expertise necessary to deserve a spot on Disney’s Board of Directors. Disney uses Peltz’s own quote on CNBC to prove Peltz does not have media experience.
Point three comes after Peltz’s shares. Disney states, “Shareholders should ask Trian, if it speaks for them, why it continues to sell down its stake, including selling over 500,000 shares between September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2023.”
Disney goes on to cite a Bloomberg headline to nullify Peltz’s claim that he has been caught in a ”Disney mousetrap.” According to Disney, Peltz was able to profit from Disney shares in 2023.
Each point is followed by a statement to disprove Peltz’s narrative. At one point, Disney states, “[Peltz] and Trian’s other nominee Mr. Rasulo offer no additive relevant experience to our independent, highly qualified Board.”
Disney’s campaign ends with the allegedly false claim that “Disney+ is an emerging streaming business that has been poorly managed.” Here, Disney attempts to disprove this idea with a graph indicating that Disney+’s losses have decreased between 2023 and 2024. Note that the date of Disney’s next earnings call has yet to be announced.
Disney urges shareholders to vote at the upcoming shareholders meeting, stating, “Your vote matters.” Peltz and his allies have not directly responded to Disney’s campaign, but we will keep our eyes out for additional updates. Stay tuned for 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!
Welcome to the newly reimagined Disneyland Hotel, the ultimate 5-star culinary destination at Disneyland Paris! This regal hotel offers some of the finest dining experiences at Disneyland Paris, with elegant restaurants and lounges that bring Disney magic to the table. In this foodie guide, we’ll explore the tantalizing menus, magical ambiance, and royal treatment you can expect at the hotel’s…
Spike the Bee merchandise is available exclusively for Walt Disney World Annual Passholders at the 2024 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. Merchandise can be found at Creations Shop and various outdoor festival kiosks.
Annual Passholder Spike the Bee Merchandise
Spike the Bee appeared in several 1940s and 1950s Disney cartoons, in which he frequently tormented Donald Duck. The Annual Passholder merchandise collection includes a T-shirt, Lug bags, and pins.
Adult Tee – $34.99
The tee is yellow and reads “Spring has sprung.” Spike is pictured among purple and white flowers. The outline of Spaceship Earth is in the top right of the design.
A few more small bees fly over Spaceship Earth. “Passholder” and “EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival 2024” are at the bottom of the design.
Small Lug Bag – $125
The Lug bags are white with a teal blue pattern and straps. The pattern features various types of flowers and Spaceship Earth. Spike is pictured in full color zipping around the flowers with dashed lines behind him.
Large Lug Bag – $135
The large bag has multiple exterior pockets in addition to the main pocket. It has an adjustable shoulder or crossbody strap.
Both bags feature a yellow honeycomb charm featuring a blue flower and “Passholder” in cursive lettering. The charm is attached to a silicone strap on one side of the bag.
Limited Release Pin – $17.99
This pin comes on a yellow backing card patterned with flowers. Spike is pictured relaxing in the petals of a sparkling blue flower. There is also a pair of yellow and orange sunflowers.
Spaceship Earth is pictured above and behind Spike. “Let love flowers” is below him. “EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival” is at the bottom of the pin in blue sparkly lettering. “Passholder 2024” is in the center of a sunflower.
Limited Edition Pin – $19.99
This pin has a purple backing card also patterned with flowers. The pin is yellow with various species of sparkly flowers pictured. Spike, in a sketchy style, is standing in front of them.
World Showcase pavilions are pictured in orange in the background. “2024 Passholder” is below the flowers with “EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.”
City Works Eatery & Pour House is offering some limited-time specials in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. This can be found at Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort. What’s Happening: City Works Eatery & Pour House is offering limited St. Patrick’s Day specials from March 13–17. Guests can also tag City Works in their green gear […]
Walt Disney World has revealed some of the new menu items coming to breakfast and dinner at 1900 Park Fare, the character dining experience at Grand Floridian Resort. This post shares a sneak peek at food photos, various other details, and additional commentary from us about the changes here. To quickly recap, Walt Disney World […]
Mel’s Drive-In at Universal Studios Florida has finally reopened at Universal Studios Florida. The restaurant has been closed for refurbishment since last June and has gotten a brand new look inside. Along with the new look, the restaurant has gotten a brand new menu.
Mel’s Drive-In Review
Sock Hoppin’ Shakes
Vanilla Shake – $6.99
First up is the new-and-improved vanilla milkshake! This milkshake is a huge upgrade from the typical “milkshake” you can find in the parks. Previously, Mel’s only offered vanilla and chocolate shakes, but they had more of a soft serve type of consistency. Now, the shakes have become much creamier and full of flavor. The vanilla was absolutely fantastic. This is the kind of vanilla milkshake you would expect from a diner.
Whipped cream, cherry, and a cake-like crumble is added to the top of the milkshake. A red and white striped straw completes the shake. For vanilla lovers, this will be a favorite. We will be back for this one again and again. Not only are these shakes affordably priced, but they’re incredibly memorable and worth the visit to Mel’s. Skip the trip to the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and just get your shakes at Mel’s Drive-In from now on.
Chocolate Shake – $6.99
This chocolate shake impressed us right from the start. Again, these are a major improvement over the previous soft-serve type of shakes served before the closure. The inside of the cup is drizzled with chocolate syrup and the shake is topped with whipped cream, cherry, and Oreo cookie crumbles.
We expected this to have an overpowering chocolate taste, but it was more like a black and white shake than chocolate. The chocolate flavor reminded us of chocolate pudding or chocolate mousse with whipped cream. It’s really hard to choose a favorite shake here, but if you like chocolate, you have to go with this one.
Strawberry Shake – $6.99
The real star of the shake trio is strawberry. Quick service restaurants in the park offer chocolate and vanilla shakes, but none of them offer strawberry. Mel’s has changed the game by introducing this delightfully pink strawberry shake. Strawberry syrup lines the inside of the cup and there’s a fun strawberry shortcake topping. The topping on the whipped cream is similar to that of a strawberry ice cream bar.
This was such a surprise! It was so delicious and creamy. The strawberry flavor was a bit like Nesquik or a creamy strawberry cheesecake. Drop what you’re doing and go to Mel’s Drive-In for a shake.
Mel’s Famous Burger – $12.99
Mel’s Famous Burger feels a little bit like a repeat of our Halloween Horror Nights burger review. Mel’s might claim to be famous for their cheeseburgers, but there’s really nothing special about them. This is a beef patty with cheddar cheese, pickles, secret sauce, lettuce, and tomato on a toasted sesame seed bun. Spoiler alert. The secret sauce is Thousand Island.
This overcooked, dry burger was just disappointing. There wasn’t enough sauce to save this cheeseburger. We wish Mel’s had brought back the Peanut Blooder Burger from Halloween Horror Nights. That would have been a burger worthy of being “famous”.
Big Bopper Burger – $14.99
The Big Bopper would be disappointed that this burger was named after him. This beef patty with cheddar cheese comes topped with strips of bacon, onion rings, and barbecue sauce. This has so much potential to be good.
The burger, again, was overcooked, and the bacon was unappealing. The onion rings and barbecue sauce help this burger, but they just can’t fix it. This burger was probably made the day the music died.
Chili Cheese Hot Dog – $10.99
The chili cheese hot dog was surprisingly good after several disappointments. The 1/4 lb. 100% beef dog is sliced and grilled with chopped onions and chili cheese on a poppy seed bun. The raw onions add a nice crunch to the chili, and the poppy seed bun is a nice change from the standard bun. We would order this again but with the vegan chili instead.
Vegan Field Roast Chili Dog – $10.99
The Vegan Field Roast Chili Dog is topped with three bean chili with lentils, hominy, chopped onions, and vegan cheddar cheese on a poppy seed bun. The vegan chili is packed full of flavor. It’s zesty and seasoned well, giving this vegan dog a bit of a kick.
This was a great vegan option on the menu. We liked the vegan chili better than the meat version. The beans and lentils and hominy give this a hearty and filling taste.
Crispy Chicken Fingers – $12.49
A staple of Mel’s has returned! These are flash fried chicken tenders served with choice of dipping sauce. Barbecue and honey mustard are free but ranch is $0.99. These are one of the best things on the menu.
Crispy Chicken Sandwich – $12.99
This hand breaded chicken breast is served with lettuce, tomato, and avocado ranch on a sesame seed bun. The chicken is very thin and a lot of the size of this sandwich comes from the lettuce. This sandwich just tasted like lettuce. The chicken wasn’t terrible, but it was very forgettable and buried under lettuce.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich – $12.99
Grilled chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, avocado ranch on a sesame seed bun is hard to mess up, but Mel’s succeeds.
Yes, Mel’s has two terrible chicken sandwiches! There’s also this chicken sandwich with grilled chicken. This was so bland, we questioned whether we were going to survive until the next item.
Vegetarian California Cobb Salad – $13.99
There are 3 different Cobb Salads available. There’s a vegetarian Cobb Salad, a grilled chicken Cobb Salad, and a crispy chicken Cobb Salad. They are all made with lettuce, apple smoked bacon, grilled chicken breast, green onions, egg, tomato, and blue cheese crumbles, with avocado ranch dressing on the side. We got the vegetarian version without chicken. This was just bad. It wasn’t very fresh and gave us airport grab-and-go salad vibes. Skip this one for sure.
Far-Out! Slices of Pie
Strawberry Lemon Pie – $4.99
This is the best pie on the menu! The lemon is tart and perfectly complimented by the airy, sweet strawberry topping. The pie crust was amazingly fresh and crumbly. If you visit Mel’s, the shakes and pies are by far the best part.
Cookies and Cream Pie – $4.99
The cookies and cream flavor is very light. We agreed this reminded us of the Hershey’s pie from Burger King. This isn’t the most amazing pie, but it’s delicious and a solid choice.
Apple Pie – $4.99 (a la mode – $5.49)
Apple pie is just as classic as Mel’s. For an extra $0.50, you can get your apple pie a la mode. The warm apple pie has a thick crust and a sweet center. The ice cream makes it so much better.
Sensational Sides
Onion Rings – $5.99
French Fries – $4.99
Chili Cheese Fries – $6.99
The fries served at Mel’s Drive-In are pretty good and can be ordered as chili cheese fries. These fries are cooked by humans, unlike the fries prepared by a robot at Circus McGurkus. Meaty chili and shredded cheese topped these seasoned fries. We actually preferred the vegan chili fries over these.
Vegan Chili Cheese Fries – $6.99
The vegan chili is so full of flavor; we actually loved the vegan chili fries. Of all the savory menu items we would order again, these vegan chili fries top the list.
Overall, we were disappointed in Mel’s Drive-In. After menus like Circus McGurkus and Minion Cafe setting the bar so high, we expected more. Mel’s Drive-In has a great location in the park and an iconic look, but the menu is just your standard theme park food. The shakes are a huge improvement over previous offerings. The milkshakes and pies are the only reason to visit Mel’s. The food is mediocre and forgettable, unfortunately.
This will always be a popular spot to “die-in” during Halloween Horror Nights, so we’re excited to have it newly refurbished and open again. Listen to all of our thoughts in our review video below.
Mel’s Drive-In is located in the Hollywood section of Universal Studios Florida. Have you tried the new menu at Mel’s Drive-In yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Fantasy Springs is the highly-anticipated new eighth themed port opening at Tokyo DisneySea on June 6, 2024. This enchanting area brings some of Disney’s most beloved animated films to life across three immersive lands – Frozen Kingdom, Rapunzel’s Forest, and Peter Pan’s Never Land. With new attractions, restaurants, shops, and even a luxurious new hotel, Fantasy Springs promises magical…
Longtime Disney multiplatform kids programming executive Danyel Mendoza has been promoted to vice president, Programming Strategy & Content Planning for Disney branded networks: Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD. What’s Happening: This expands Mendoza’s purview to oversee both linear and nonlinear platforms, and aligns linear and nonlinear planning and strategy teams into one team. […]
