Next month will see the release of the new novel from Lucasfilm Publishing and Random House Worlds, Star Wars: The High Republic – Temptation of the Force, and Laughing Place was provided with access to an early digital copy of the book for review. Below are my mostly spoiler-free thoughts on this release. Let me […]
The post Book Review – “Star Wars: Temptation of the Force” Finally Achieves the Full Potential of The High Republic appeared first on LaughingPlace.com.
A new collection of clothes, toys, and accessories themed to the upcoming Pixar film, “Inside Out 2” has arrived at Walt Disney World.
We found the following items at the Emporium, on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom. The line comes ahead of the release of “Inside Out 2,” which hits theaters on June 14. Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests can check out an exclusive sneak peek of the movie.
First up is this black button-down shirt featuring different depictions of Riley’s emotions from “Inside Out 2.” Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, Sadness, Embarrassment, Envy, Ennui, and Anxiety are scattered around the front and back. There is a front pocket on the left side.
This small crossbody made for kids has two zip-close compartments. There’s a main compartment and a clear front pocket.
The bag comes with self-stick fabric patches of Joy, Anger, Fear, Sadness, Disgust, and Anxiety that can be arranged on the fabric inside the front pocket.
The back has a graphic pattern with different emotional expressions.
The crossbody strap is adjustable and detachable.
The interior is the same purple color as the rest of the bag. You can find this one online at the Disney Store.
This youth jersey is made of a teal mesh material with a mix of both embroidered and screen-printed features. The front has screen prints of Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, Anger, Anxiety, Ennui, Embarrassment, and Envy and two patches.
The Emotions are repeated on the back, surrounding the phrase “Believe in yourself.” It is also available for purchase online.
The ball cap in the collection is black with an all-over print of the Emotions, plus small icons to symbolize them.
The underside of the bill has a different graphic print, with various expressions. The back has an adjustable strap with a buckle. You can also find it at the Disney Store.
The Deluxe Figurine Set comes with nine figures, one for each of the emotions: Joy, Anxiety, Ennui, Disgust, Embarrassment, Anger, Sadness, Fear, and Envy.
Anxiety, one of the new emotions featured in “Inside Out 2,” can be found in keychain form. She has an orange plastic clip to attach her to bags and keychains.
All of the emotions get their own plush, starting with the leader of the crew, Joy. She’s around 15 inches tall and can be found at the Disney Store.
Disgust gives her best grimace in her plush form. The 11-inch plush is also for sale online.
The Anxiety plush stays true to her emotion, with her arms tied up in knots. Find the 12-inch plush online at the Disney Store.
Envy, another one of the new emotions, looks up with stars in her eyes. The small plush is 9 inches and available at the Disney Store.
There’s no hiding Anger’s anger! The 9 and 1/2-inch plush can be found at the Disney Store.
Ennui’s listless emotion is clear in her plush. Pick up the 12 and 3/4-inch figure online.
Fear’s back for the sequel and as scared as ever. The nearly 13-inch plush is sold online.
Joy’s sidekick (and polar opposite), Sadness, is having a good cry in her plush. The 11-inch toy is available at the Disney Store.
Finally, newly-added Emotion, Embarrassment, is the largest of all the plushes. At 15 inches, he, too, can be found at the Disney Store.
What do you think of the new “Inside Out 2” collection? Which item is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
The post New ‘Inside Out 2’ Merchandise Collection Arrives at Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW News Today.
Disneyland Paris shared on their YouTube page a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into the new show Alice and the Queen of Hearts: Return to Wonderland. Guests can see this new show at Walt Disney Studios Park from now 25 through September 29, 2024. What’s Happening: Ever wonder what goes into these incredible shows at […]
The post Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Brand New Show Alice and the Queen of Hearts: Return to Wonderland at Disneyland Paris appeared first on LaughingPlace.com.
This day has been years in the making. We are less than one month away from a HUGE change coming to EPCOT.
EPCOT
EPCOT has been undergoing a multi-year transformation that has included a redesign of the entrance and area around Spaceship Earth, renovated shopping and dining at Connections Eatery and Creations Shop, the addition of Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, and the construction of the CommuniCore Hall & Plaza.
While most of the transformation is finished, we are still one step away from completion!
On June 10th, 2024, the CommuniCore Hall & Plaza will be opening up, marking the end of this EPCOT transformation. This new area will bring some huge changes to EPCOT and provide guests with lots of new opportunities!
CommuniCore Hall
CommuniCore Hall is the first fully-purpose-built structure for festival programming. The Hall will host numerous experiences including food, live music, art, and more. Even though it was designed with festival programming in mind, this area will be open year-round for guests to enjoy, even when there isn’t a festival going on. The CommuniCore Plaza is an outdoor space where visitors can relax and experience concerts, performances, and other live entertainment including a new show.
©Disney
One of the biggest changes coming to EPCOT as a result of the opening of CommuniCore Hall & Plaza is a bunch more entertainment options! For starters, there will be a new Encanto show debuting in CommuniCore Plaza. The show will be called “¡Celebración Encanto!” and will feature songs and stories from the movie. And Mirabel and Bruno will be there too!
©Disney
Additionally, the CommuniCore Plaza is designed to host concerts and performances. Inside the CommuniCore Hall, there will be an exhibition gallery space, demonstration kitchen, mixology bar, and more. While we don’t know how much of this space will be in use outside of festivals yet, we are hoping that there will be at least some offerings year-round!
Another big change is simply that the CommuniCore Hall & Plaza will provide additional options for places to sit and relax.
Communicore Hall ©Disney
Plus the CommuniCore Hall will provide some great air-conditioned space to take a break. Being in the parks all day long is exhausting, so it is always great to see more spaces being added to take a load off.
This new area will feature a new meet-and-greet space. While Mickey & Friends used to meet around this area in the “EPCOT Character Spot” before construction began (way back when), they were moved to allow for all of these changes.
Mickey & Friends Sign
The Mickey & Friends meet-and-greet will now be moving to a space inside of CommuniCore Hall. We have spotted the signs going up for this new space, and we are excited for this meet and greet.
Finally, CommuniCore Hall & Plaza will likely provide more food options. We noticed a sign for “Festival Favorites” was put up on the building, and although we don’t know exactly what that will be, a Cast Member said it was going to be a festival food booth! Note that we haven’t heard anything official from Disney World.
Festival Favorites sign
If it is a food booth, we also don’t know if it may offer food year-round or if it will only be open during festivals. Either way, we are excited to see what Festival Favorites becomes.
In addition to Festival Favorites, CommuniCore Hall will also feature a demonstration kitchen which could mean the return of demonstrations and seminars. The demos and seminars were once a large part of the Food & Wine Festival but have been missing for a few years now. We are hoping that, with the opening of this new space, we will see a return of these offerings.
It is an exciting time for EPCOT as the transformation nears its completion. The CommuniCore Hall & Plaza space promises to bring a lot to EPCOT and we will be bringing you all the details as we explore this area on June 10th. While we wait for June 10th to arrive, get ready by watching our Ultimate Guide to EPCOT in 2024:
While this marks the end of a multi-year transformation, EPCOT is still being reimagined and updated. Test Track will be closing on June 17th, 2024, for a reimagining of the ride. This reimagination will take inspiration from World of Motion, a ride that was in EPCOT when it opened. Change is always happening in Disney World and we are here to keep you updated on all the latest news. Stay tuned to DFB for even more Disney World news!
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 are you most excited about that is coming to CommuniCore Hall & Plaza? Let us know in the comments!
The post 4 HUGE Ways EPCOT Will Change on June 10th first appeared on the disney food blog.
Deodorant is a necessity in Disney World, and if you think otherwise…please reconsider.
EPCOT under sunny skies
The truth is that EVERYONE is going to sweat in Disney World. Especially in those hot months (which is most of the year, to be honest), there’s really no way to escape it. It’s of utmost importance to bring your deodorant with you on your Disney World trip, HOWEVER deciding what TYPE of deodorant to bring is a bigger decision than you may realize.
If you’re not a fan of stick deodorant, we totally get it. Getting a spray deodorant in an aerosol can can be a great alternative, BUT there is a time when we do not at all recommend bringing this type — when flying.
Flying
When you fly, the pressure in the cabin is regulated, but not necessarily the pressure in the belly of the plane where the luggage is being kept. Even so, in either location, the pressure can cause your aerosol can to malfunction, meaning your deodorant could get all over the contents of your bag.
Orlando International Airport
If you do want to bring an aerosol deodorant, we recommend having it in a ziploc bag to ensure it won’t get over all your stuff, just to be safe!
Not all deodorants are made equally. We’ve had a team member share that one time, she brought a regular stick deodorant in her bag and it ended up crumbling all over everything!
A sunny day in Hollywood Studios!
Now, there’s not a great way to stop this one from happening, except to try and make sure it’s not getting knocked around too much where it can be broken, and then it just continues to break, and break, and break. When packing, try to place your deodorant in the smallest pocket/area it fits in, so it doesn’t move around a lot!
Sunny skies in Animal Kingdom
Some of us have also noticed this is more likely to happen when your deodorant is older or almost at the end of its life, so try not to bring those to Disney World either!
If you prefer to use a cream based deodorant, you may think you’ll avoid the potential crumbles or explosions, and while that’s true, you have to worry about melting.
It gets hot FAST!
No, we’re not kidding. It’s already a liquid, yes, but when it reaches a certain temperature, these cream deodorants can separate, making them an oily mess that no one wants to deal with.
A sunny day in Magic Kingdom!
The worst part, it’s VERY hard (almost impossible) to fix when this happens. Our advice is to keep this just in the room where it won’t get too warm instead of into the park with you, and to also keep it in a Ziploc bag in case that cap comes loose!
We’re always here to help bring you the best ways to prepare for your Disney World trip, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news!
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 is your preferred deodorant and why? Tell us in the comments!
The post 3 Deodorant Horror Stories That Will Convince You To Think Twice When You’re Packing for Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.
Park expansions, brand-new restaurants, and… earthquakes?
Disneyland Park
The things you might experience in Disneyland could be downright SHOCKING in the best and worst ways possible. So let’s address the biggest Disneyland shock factors BEFORE you go — today on DFB Guide.
Check out our video below: 12 Things That Shock Disneyland Guests
Are you a DFB Video subscriber? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our channel and catch up on ALL of our latest episodes!
And stay tuned for more Disney news!
What shocked you the last time you went to Disneyland? Let us know in the comments!
The post DFB Video: 12 Things That SHOCK Disneyland Guests first appeared on the disney food blog.
It’s almost time to ROCK once again!
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been closed for refurbishment since early January, with Disney only saying that the Aerosmith-themed attraction was “planned to reopen in summer 2024.” However, after some poking around on Disney’s website, we think we’ve found a NEW clue about its reopening date!
We previously saw a clue about the roller coaster’s opening date on the My Disney Experience app, and now an update on the website seems to confirm our suspicions.
According to Disney’s website, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will be open on Saturday, July 27th. Its hours are listed as the standard 8:30AM to 9AM for those with early theme park entry, and Hollywood Studios’ normal operating hours of 9AM to 9PM.
Disney
Despite being down for almost all of 2024 so far, Disney has confirmed that there have been no major story changes to the ride, and this was a “routine refurbishment” meant to address typical wear & tear and maintenance issues.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster’s reopening marks the return of one of the most important rides in the evolution of Hollywood Studios and Disney World overall. When the coaster first opened in 1999, it was the first major thrill coaster at Walt Disney World, and the first to have an inversion at any of Disney’s then-five American theme parks.
The ride’s use of Aerosmith was also the first time Disney embraced a “current” pop culture property on this large a scale: At the time, Aerosmith was one of the most popular bands in the world, and coming off a #1 single “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” According to urban legend, Disney also approached or at least considered using The Rolling Stones or U2 for the ride. This watershed moment arguably reverberates today through the company’s approach to “current” intellectual property in parks.
Aerosmith’s presence on the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster was a major change for Disney at the time.
Recent years haven’t been kind to the attraction. For starters, it’s seen lengthy down time thanks to the aforementioned wear & tear issues that necessitated its refurbishment,. Then, there’s Aerosmith. There has always been a contingent of fans who felt that the band and their image were… inappropriate for a Disney park — they are the “Bad Boys of Boston” after all — and those feelings have only intensified thanks to the legal issues Steven Tyler has encountered in recent years.
This has led to rumors that the attraction is going to be rethemed, though remember that Disney has not confirmed any sort of retheming. Fans have speculated that the coaster could be rethemed to everything from Queen to Mickey Mouse to The Muppets. So far, said rumors are unfounded, and Aerosmith and their logos will remain in the G-Force Records building when the coaster reopens.
Are you ready to rock?
After a long, and much-needed refurbishment, you’ll be able to ride the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster and rock out with Aerosmith again starting on July 27th. Stay tuned to DFB for more news on Disney World’s rides.
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!
Are you looking forward to the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster’s return? Let us know in the comments below.
The post BREAKING: New Update Confirms Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster OPENING DATE in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.
Y’all, I need backup! I shared a hot take with the rest of the DFB team and found out that pretty much no one here agrees with me. But I know there’s gotta be SOMEONE out there who gets what I’m talking about and would take my side. I mean, everybody else hates these hotels too, right?
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
The matter of which Disney World hotel is the best is a hotly debated topic. Should you go value, moderate, or deluxe? Close to Magic Kingdom or EPCOT? Are you team Skyliner or Monorail? There are lots of different ways to approach your decision of where you’re going to stay the next time you visit The Most Magical Place on Earth, but if I were you, I’d cross three hotels off the list immediately!!
So here’s my hot take: I think that most of the moderate-level hotels in Disney World are USELESS (except for ONE…which I’ll tell you about later on). I know that’s gonna prompt some angry responses, but give me just one second to explain where I’m coming from!
First, a little background. Disney World hotels come in three different categories: value, moderate, and deluxe. Value hotels are the cheapest (of course) and generally offer the fewest perks. They don’t have incredible restaurants, and you can’t take the Monorail or walk to any of the parks from these hotels. However, you can stay at these hotels for a FRACTION of the price of a deluxe hotel, which is why you’ll almost always find me at Pop Century Resort when I visit Disney World.
Pop Century
Deluxe hotels are the most expensive but also have the most perks. They tend to be pretty fancy, have the best transportation options, and have some of the best restaurants in Disney World. Plus, you can take advantage of Extended Evening Hours if you’re staying at a deluxe hotel. (That means you get to stay past closing time in some parks on certain days!)
Disney’s Grand Floridian
Moderate resorts fall somewhere in the middle (as you might’ve guessed, based on the name 
). But really they’re closer to the value level than the deluxe in terms of both price and perks. So here’s my beef with the moderate hotels: If I’m getting practically the same perks as I’d get at the value hotels, why would I pay the upcharge for moderate?
We’re gonna deep dive now to find out if my take is actually justified. First, let’s check out how the prices of these hotels compare to value and deluxe. Then, we’ll analyze transportation and other perks and decide whether the upcharge is really worth it. Finally, I need to tell you the ONE exception to my rule of never staying at moderate hotels.
I compared hotel prices for two different weeks in 2024. First, I picked a random week in September, when prices are going to be comparatively low (since it’s not typically a busy time for Disney World). Then, I looked at the BUSIEST time, which is the week of Christmas to New Year’s.
Note that I didn’t include prices for the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, mainly because the average price for those is $876/night, which is about double the cost of most moderate-level hotel rooms. These aren’t normal hotel rooms — they’re literally cabins — so I felt that their differences took them out of the equation. It’s a totally different way to experience Disney World! But those are another moderate-level option if you want to go that route.
NEW Fort Wilderness Cabins!
I did include the prices for Art of Animation Family Suites, which have a large living area with a pull-down bed and a couch that stores another pull-out bed, a kitchenette, a separate master bedroom area (that’s — count ’em — three full beds), and two bathrooms. These are GREAT (very roomy, and the two bathrooms is a huge bonus), but the extra space means they’re significantly more expensive than the other value hotel rooms. Because these rooms are so different from the normal value and moderate hotel rooms (in both size and price), I left them out of the averages.
Finding Nemo Room
For the week in September, here’s what I found:
Value Hotels:
Average (excluding Art of Animation family suites): about $238/night
Moderate Hotels:
Average: about $321/night
So moderate hotels are, on average, about $83 more expensive per night than value hotels during a non-peak time. Not anything super crazy but definitely not nothin’.
Deluxe Hotels (I just included a few here, though there are a lot more deluxe hotels to choose from):
Clearly, moderate hotels are significantly cheaper than deluxe hotels, which frequently cost more than double the price of moderate hotels.
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
For the week of Christmas/New Years, here’s what I found:
Value Hotels:
Average (excluding Art of Animation family suites): $334/night
Moderate Hotels:
Average: $455/night
During peak times, the moderate hotels average about $121 more per night than value hotels.
Deluxe Hotels (I just included a few here, though there are a lot more deluxe hotels to choose from) :
Yikes.
Disney’s Yacht Club
In conclusion, I found that moderate hotel rooms were more expensive than even the priciest value hotel rooms (aside from those big Art of Animation family suites) every time. Though it wasn’t by an incredible amount (either $80 or $120 per night), that would certainly add up if you’re staying multiple nights. So is that $80-$120 upcharge actually worth it, or should you just go value? Let’s analyze the perks and transportation.
First, can we just agree real quick that deluxe hotels have the best transportation? There are three deluxe hotels on the Monorail line, which gives you quick access to both Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. The Contemporary is literally a 10-minute walk from Magic Kingdom’s entrance. Wilderness Lodge has boat access to Magic Kingdom. EPCOT-area hotels like Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn are within walking distance of EPCOT, are close to the Skyliner station at EPCOT’s International Gateway, and have boat access to Hollywood Studios.
EPCOT Monorail
Riviera also has a Skyliner station, though this hotel might be the exception because I’ve had some bad experiences at that particular station. It’s located on the way from Caribbean Beach (the main Skyliner hub) to EPCOT, and sometimes the Cast Members forget to leave gondolas open, so they load them all up to capacity at the Caribbean Beach, which means if nobody gets off at Riviera, the guests waiting at Riviera to go to EPCOT have to just sit and wait for an available gondola. Sometimes that takes what feels like ages.
Disney Skyliner Station at Disney’s Riviera Resort
OK! So most deluxe hotels have pretty good (or amazing, in some cases) transportation options. What about value hotels?
Skyliner 
The All-Star hotels (which are the very cheapest) have pretty lame transportation. It’s just buses, and due to the hotels’ locations, the bus rides can be pretty long.
However, I love the Skyliner station at Art of Animation and Pop Century. That gives you easy access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, which is a huge bonus in my opinion. Other than that, the only option is buses.
Skyliner Station
I take every opportunity I can to shout out the transportation team at Pop Century. They’re CRUSHING IT. Seriously, I don’t know what they do differently, but when I stay there, I always feel like they’re so on top of things. Buses come quickly, the Cast Members are efficient and friendly, and I’ve never been left feeling frustrated with how long I have to wait. So a huge double thumbs up to those folks.
Pop Century Resort Bus
Moderate hotels are a bit of a mix when it comes to the variety of transportation available. Caribbean Beach has that main Skyliner hub, which is a great perk! The Port Orleans hotels also have boats that go between the hotels and Disney Springs, which is super fun and convenient. Coronado Springs just has buses and — like the All-Star hotels — is located pretty far from most parks, which means longer bus rides.
However, there’s one hotel transportation problem that is the bane of my existence, and the worst culprits are definitely the moderate hotels. Have you already guessed what it is? If you guessed internal bus loops, you are correct. And you probably — like me — have been burned by them before.
Some Disney World hotels are so big that they can’t just have one bus stop. They need multiple stops throughout the resort because it’s too far for guests to all walk to a single stop. The problem with these loops is that they can mean longer bus rides, depending on where your room is on the loop. When you’re trying to make it to Magic Kingdom for rope drop, those loops and the resulting delays are incredibly annoying!
Caribbean Beach bus stop
Only a few hotels have these internal loops, but almost ALL of the moderate hotels have them. Caribbean Beach is the worst offender, with eight internal bus stops. EIGHT. Good grief. Coronado Springs is next, with five stops. Port Orleans — Riverside has three stops, and only Port Orleans — French Quarter escapes, with no internal bus loop. (Though we have to warn you that SOMETIMES Disney will make French Quarter and Riverside share buses, which means French Quarter gets pulled into that wretched internal loop. That usually only happens during very not-busy times, though.)
The other hotels with internal bus loops include Saratoga Springs (with five stops) and Old Key West (also five stops), which are both deluxe hotels.
Saratoga Springs is one resort that comes with a LOT of bus stops!
So although I like the boats to Disney Springs at the Port Orleans Resorts and that Skyliner hub at Caribbean Beach is nice (as long as you get a room that’s close by — that hotel is super sprawled out!), the internal bus loop problem is enough for me to consider most of the moderate resorts as some of the worst for transportation.
Are there any other perks that make moderate resorts more valuable? The short answer is no. But I’ll go into the long answer, too, if you want.
All Disney World hotel guests get to take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry, which means they can enter any of the four theme parks a half hour before other guests every day of the week. That’s available for guests at value, moderate, and deluxe hotels.
Extended Evening Hours are only available to people staying at deluxe hotels, and it means they get to stay late in select parks on certain days. Usually Extended Evening Hours take place on Mondays and Wednesdays and get guests an extra two hours in the park. Double-check the schedule before you go to make sure they’re happening during your trip!
Animal Kingdom During Extended Evening Hours!
So no extra perks for moderate guests yet.
One perk for Caribbean Beach guests that I have to mention is the pool! The Fuentes del Morro pool is a deluxe-level pool hiding in a moderate-level resort, and you’ll love it.
Fuentes del Morro pool at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Doubloon Lagoon pool at Port Orleans is another popular one! And actually I have to admit that Coronado Springs’ The Lost City of Cibola Pool is pretty dang cool, too. So yeah, the pools at moderate resorts are actually crushing it, I’ll give you that.
Lost City of Cibola pool
None of these pools holds a candle to Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Club resorts, but they’re probably a step up from the value resort pools (though people do love the Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation).
So I showed this post to AJ and it was at this point that she started yelling at me about all the perks at Coronado Springs. To be totally honest, the bad transportation options at Coronado have been enough of a strike against it to make me pretty much count it out entirely. I’m all about getting to the parks ASAP, and the combination of being far away from most parks AND having an internal bus loop AND not having any boats or Skyliner makes this an automatic NO for me.
But if transportation isn’t the most important thing to you — or if you’re driving your own car to Disney World so the free transportation is like “whatever, I’ll just get to the parks myself” — then you should know that AJ is in fact right and Coronado has some pretty sweet perks.
Coronado Springs
Really, in terms of both food and facilities, Coronado is sneakily a deluxe-level hotel at moderate-level prices. It’s got club-level rooms available, not one but TWO gyms (but seriously, who is going to the gym on their Disney World vacation? My only cardio is rope drop), a salon (just in case you break a nail while you’re there), and several sit-down restaurants. There aren’t ANY other value or moderate hotels that have a gym or a salon.
Coronado Springs club-level room
I think AJ is biased and just loves Dahlia Lounge so much that she can’t be reasonable about that dang internal bus loop, though.
Let’s talk about the food!
Value hotels have, almost without a doubt, the worst food options in Disney World. They each have a food court, and the food there can be decent, don’t get me wrong! But it’s not really super special or exciting.
Food court at Art of Animation
Deluxe hotels are home to some of the BEST food in Disney World. Jiko and Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, ‘Ohana at the Polynesian, and Steakhouse 71 at the Contemporary are a few of my all-time favorite restaurants. The restaurants are more expensive, but the food there is 100% worth it. BUT no matter where you stay, you can go to those deluxe hotels and eat at the restaurants. (It is my dream, however, to eat my weight in noodles at ‘Ohana and then be able to just roll to my room at Polynesian rather than having to take the Monorail back to Magic Kingdom and then get on the bus from there to Pop Century.)
‘Ohana
Moderate hotels have better food than the value hotels in my opinion, but I don’t usually go out of my way to eat there unless I’m actually staying there (which I rarely do).
I DO have to give Coronado Springs its due here. This hotel has a BUNCH of restaurants, and they’re pretty much all leaps and bounds better than the value hotel food courts. Barcelona Lounge has specialty coffee and an artisanal cocktail bar, Cafe Rix is a great place to grab gelato, Maya Grill has Tex-Mex food in a grand setting (get the Margarita Flight here — trust us), Rix Sports Bar & Grill has some fun pub-style eats, Toledo — Tapas, Steak, and Seafood is a beautiful sit-down restaurant with equally fantastic food, and that’s not even all of them.
Inside Toledo at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Of course, we can’t forget AJ’s beloved Dahlia Lounge, which boasts upscale tapas, hand-selected wine, and incredible views.
Another exception to the “moderate resort food is meh” rule is Port Orleans — French Quarter. In fact, I’d consider the French Quarter to be an exception overall to my “no moderate hotels” rule in general.
Port Orleans — French Quarter has Mickey beignets. I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t 90% of the reason why I love this hotel. If you haven’t tried these before, you need to book it to Scat Cat’s Club (either the lounge or the café, depending on what time of day you’re visiting) and pick some up ASAP. You can thank me later.
We can’t resist a Mickey Beignet
In addition, French Quarter does not commit the cardinal sin of an internal bus loop, which is another huge green flag for me (as long as Disney doesn’t make them share buses with Riviera, as mentioned in the transportation section).
And finally, this hotel also has those boats to Disney Springs, which gets you quick access to even more great food, plus all the shops and entertainment available at Disney World’s shopping and dining district.
Boat service to Disney Springs
All of those perks together sometimes convince me to shell out the extra cash for either my whole trip or book a split stay and just stay at French Quarter for one or two nights.
Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter
I need to hear your opinion on this! Are you anti-moderate hotels, like me? Or do you think I’m totally wrong? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Stay tuned to DFB for more tips and updates as you plan your upcoming vacation!
What are your favorite Disney World hotels? Let us know in the comments!
The post Literally No One on the DFB Team Agrees With My Controversial Hotel Take, so I Need Backup first appeared on the disney food blog.
Disney Store has released new merchandise in honor of Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 in theaters on June 14. There is a large variety of items, including shirts, pins, bags, toys, and more. (Please note this article contains affiliate links. Your purchase will support LaughingPlace by providing us a small commission, but will not affect your […]
The post Feel All the Emotions for This New “Inside Out 2” Merchandise at Disney Store appeared first on LaughingPlace.com.
