We’re just days away from being able to check out Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride in the Magic Kingdom!

The Princess and the Frog-themed ride is set to open to everyone on June 28th, 2024 after sets of previews for Cast Members, Annual Passholders and more Disney fans. Since construction started in early 2023 in Frontierland, we’ve been eagerly waiting for the opening of this attraction! We previously got a sneak peek at the animatronics, new characters, queue details, and more, but now we’re getting a glimpse inside the ride FOR THE FIRST TIME!

Now we do want to stop right here and say there are several SPOILER ALERTS in this post — so if you want to be totally surprised when you ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for the first time, you should probably click out of this. 

Disney Imagineering just dropped a new episode of their YouTube series, “We Call It Imagineering.” This one is all about Soundscapes in the parks and there’s LOTS of interesting info in it, but we were most interested in the shots of a Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride-through in the video! You can watch the whole video here.

Grammy Award-winner PJ Morton wrote a new song for the ride — “Special Spice” — and the video takes us along for his first time experiencing the attraction with his song.

Here’s a look at Tiana greeting riders on the lift hill…

…and a closer look as you ride by her.

The new song — “Special Spice” — plays during the finale scene of the ride, and we got so many looks at this room overflowing with animatronics!

We’ve got Mama Odie…

…and a banner welcoming us to Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen’s home, Fleur du Bayou.

Here’s a look at Tiana and Louis…

…and another Tiana animatronic because she appears in multiple ride scenes.

Just as we have watched the outside of this ride be covered with flowers and greenery, the inside has similar lush landscaping.

We also got a glimpse of a ride sign warning that we may get wet on the ride — no surprise with that hill!

That final scene will include all of the musical critters we help Tiana round up during the ride for her party playing “Special Spice” — with Louis directing the band. Prince Naveen will be playing his ukelele, and Prince Ralphie will be o the drums!

“Seeing my song on the ride for the very first time was mind blowing to me,” Morton said. A full version of the song will be released on Friday, May 31st on all streaming platforms — so you can listen before you ride. AND we’ve got the PERFECT SHIRT for you to wear when you go to Disney World to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for the first time!

Grab Your Bayou Adventure Shirt Here!

We’re checking out the progress on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure every day, and we will be covering alllllll the things about this new ride as we approach its opening next month. So keep following us here at DFB for more! 

 

The post BREAKING: Let’s Go INSIDE Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for the FIRST TIME in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Do you dream of joining the Resistance and fighting the First Order?

For a sweet 19 months, you could live out that dream at Disney World’s Star Wars hotel — the Galactic Starcruiser. A 2-night “cruise” on the Galactic Starcruiser put you in the middle of an immersive environment where you could choose to join the First Order or fight with the Resistance. It was an experience like no other — and many potential guests decided the price was also completely out of this world, at about $4,800 for 2 people for 2 nights.

Yes, that price did include food, entertainment, an “excursion” to Batuu, and your stay — it was basically all-inclusive like a cruise. But ultimately, the cost was too high — both for customers and for Disney — and the hotel closed less than two years after it opened.

So what’s a Star Wars fan to do? Well, we’ve found what we believe to be the CLOSEST experience you can have to the Star Wars Hotel … but there’s a BIG catch! The NEW Star Wars Experience will be aboard the Disney Treasure Cruise Ship, which sets sail in December 2024. 

That’s right. The Disney Treasure will be home to Star Wars: Cargo Bay, where, according to Disney, you can “step aboard a starship prepping for a mission to aid the Resistance and join forces with Star Wars friends like Chewbacca and Rey.” BUT. And here’s the catch (oh, you thought the catch was that you had to take a cruise? Nope.), Star Wars: Cargo Bay is part of the Disney Oceaneer’s Club aboard the ship. And that means you’ll need to be between the ages of 3 and 10 to visit.

Yep, the kiddos are in for lots of Star Wars fun aboard the Disney Treasure. And they won’t just be aiding the resistance, they’ll become animal wranglers in that galaxy far, far away. “…become the crew’s newest exotic-creature handler and wrangle exciting animals like Porgs, Loth-Cats, a Dianoga and more,” Disney says.

The Disney Treasure is going to have so many “first at sea” innovations for Disney — including a Haunted Mansion Lounge and a lounge themed after the Jungle Cruise! Have you booked your cruise yet? We suggest getting in touch with our friends at Small World Vacations — they can help you find the perfect stateroom and excursions for your ideal cruise!

We’ll be on board the Disney Treasure on some of its first sailings to bring you full coverage and reviews of the new ship, so keep following us here at Disney Food Blog for much more! 

Have you been on a Disney Cruise? Tell us about it in the comments!

The post This NEW Star Wars Experience May be the CLOSEST Thing to the Star Wars Hotel We’ve Seen! first appeared on the disney food blog.

There’s nothing more crushing than having your flight canceled before a highly anticipated trip.

However, the unfortunate truth is that sometimes it’s unavoidable, So the best thing you can do is be as prepared as possible. If you’re flying Southwest, that means knowing the most common reasons flights are canceled, and knowing what to do if that happens.

Why Does Southwest Cancel Flights?

According to Southwest, there are several reasons flights are canceled, including “standard maintenance tasks, severe weather, and staffing logistics (planes are legally required to have a minimum number of staff on the plane.)”

The airline went further into what “severe weather” entails, saying that they keep “planes on the ground when there is bad weather, especially weather that might cause unfavorable conditions. These weather events can include dense fog, heavy rainfall, low clouds, heavy snowfall, lightning, and other extreme weather at any point along the route, not just at the departure and arrival cities.”

What To Do If Your Southwest is Canceled

Now that we’ve established the most common reasons WHY Southwest cancels flights in their own words, here’s what you should do if you find yourself in the unenviable situation of having one canceled.

According to Southwest, if your flight is canceled, “you’ll receive a new itinerary automatically via email, text, phone call, or you will see it in your Southwest app.” As long as the new itinerary works for you, then there’s nothing else you’ll need to do other than show up once this automatic process is complete. If the new provided itinerary doesn’t work, “you can cancel or change your flight to a better time” according to the airline.

If you choose to cancel, the airline’s current refund policy is relatively straightforward: “If you choose a method-of-payment refund, you’ll receive it in the form of the original payment within seven business days. For cash refunds, you’ll receive a check within 20 business days. If you used Rapid Reward Points, they will return to the account used to book the flight.”

Having your flight canceled — whether it’s a long-awaited vacation, or you suddenly need to get somewhere quickly — can be immensely disappointing. However, knowing why flights are canceled (and in turn being prepared for the possibility) as well as (arguably more importantly) knowing what to do in the event of cancellation can make the whole process much easier to deal with, and get you back on your way as quickly as possible. Stay tuned to DFB for more travel tips.

Southwest Airlines is Partnering with Google To Make Flying to Disney World Even EASIER

Have you ever dealt with a canceled Southwest flight? Let us know how that went in the comments below.

The post 8 Reasons Why Your Southwest Airlines Flight Could Be Canceled first appeared on the disney food blog.

Portions of the new tilework in the Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT have been uncovered, revealing simple designs.

Morocco Pavilion Tilework Revealed

Construction walls in the Morocco Pavilion in EPCOT have shifted, revealing a newly-retiled planter in the courtyard.

The updated tile design is made up of primarily square tiles creating checkerboard-like designs in blues, white, and yellow. The designs are outlined in rectangular blue tiles.

The design differs between the sides and the tops of the planter. The sides feature medium-sized teal tiles surrounded by smaller blue tiles and rectangular white tiles. They are bordered by rectangular blue times and a yellow and blue tile pattern.

The tops of the planters have a teal and white checkered print, bordered by yellow tiles of the same size. What’s notable about the new tile design is that it’s far less detailed and much more simple than the elaborate designs found in the area before the refurbishment.

Here’s a look at what a planter in this area looked like before. This geometric design was far more intricately done than what had been laid down in its stead.

The tile inarguably needed major restoration, however, the new design is lacking in authentic color and design.

Much of the Morocco Pavilion remains behind construction walls, including the central fountain and left planter in the above photo, taken before the construction began. The left planter will likely mirror the one on the right. As the upper portion of the fountain shared similar design elements as the planters flanking it, we’d imagine its new iteration will be a similarly watered-down reinterpretation.

The pavilion’s new look comes after Disney took over ownership of the Morocco Pavilion, which was previously operated independently from Disney, in 2020. This change was due to legal disputes with Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant, LLC, former operators of the food and merchandise locations within the pavilion. The construction of the pavilion, sponsored by the Moroccan government, included hand-tiling done by native Moroccan craftspeople. The pavilion opened in 1984. Despite the change, the Moroccan Embassy and Morocco Tourism Board are still involved as cultural consultants.

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

The post Tilework in Morocco Pavilion Revealed with New Watered-Down Designs appeared first on WDW News Today.

Disneyland Discounts are now available for Summer of 2024. Disneyland Resort announced new discounts for parks and hotels starting May 29th, just in time to be among the first to see the new version of Fantasmic! Per the Disney Parks Blog

Disneyland Discounts

Excited to plan your summer vacay? We’re giving you the inside scoop on a great way to save on a summer getaway with a new 3-Day Disneyland Ticket Offer that’ll soon be available to everyone! You, your family and friends can visit again and again to enjoy the magic of Disneyland park or Disney California Adventure park for as little as $50 per child, per day (ages 3-9) and $83 per adult, per day, Monday – Thursday, for a limited time with the purchase of a three-day, one-park per day ticket. These tickets, which are an exceptional value, go on sale May 29, 2024, for visits June 10 through Sept. 26, 2024, and require a park reservation for each day of your visit.* This three-day ticket can be spread out over separate dates during the season, and options for upgrades such as weekend visits, Park Hopper tickets or adding the Disney Genie+ service are available at the time of purchase. 

The Disneyland Discounts for Hotels show up later in the post:

After a day of fun, stay in the magic at a Disneyland Resort Hotel and enjoy special savings.** Hotel guests may save up to 25% on select stays at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Disneyland Hotel or The Villas at Disneyland Hotel when staying four nights or longer, or may save up to 20% at these hotels Sunday – Thursday without a minimum night stay.*** These offers are for stays June 10 – Sept. 26, 2024, and can be reserved May 29 – Sept. 12, 2024, subject to availability and restrictions.

Summer is a great time to visit Disneyland, Walt Disney World or go on a Disney Cruise. Make sure to reach out to our sponsor, Be Our Guest Vacations for all of your Disney vacation needs from Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and more. Click here to get a free quote today!

The post Disneyland Discounts Begin For Summer 2024 appeared first on WDW News Today.

Another one of the boats in Disney’s Friendship boat fleet has been given a new look.

Friendship Boat V

This boat, Friendship V, has a dark blue hull with white trim. The walls and the roof of the cabin are green, with a yellow line on the roof.

The Friendship boats transport guests around World Showcase and between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as to and from both of those parks to the following destinations: Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, Disney’s Yacht Club, Disney’s Beach Club Villas, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel. The EPCOT Germany Pavilion Friendship Boat Dock recently opened for the first time in years.

Updates to the Friendship boat fleet began in 2022, with new color schemes given to Friendship I, Friendship II, Friendship III, Friendship IV, and Friendship VIII. Prior to the changes, which give the boats a more traditional, nautical look, they featured a whimsical, turn-of-the-century stripe pattern on their roofs, as seen in the photo above.

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

The post PHOTOS: Friendship Boat V Debuts New Color Scheme at EPCOT appeared first on WDW News Today.