As the sun sets over the Disneyland Resort, a vibrant and whimsical oasis awaits at the Pixar Place Hotel’s rooftop bar, Small Bytes. This culinary gem, perched atop the newly reimagined hotel, offers a delightful fusion of Pixar charm and delectable bites, promising an unforgettable dining experience for guests of all ages.

A Pixar-Inspired Ambiance

Upon stepping onto the rooftop terrace, visitors are immediately transported into the whimsical world of Pixar. The decor is a playful homage to the beloved animation studio, with pixel-art style character portraits adorning the walls, paying tribute to the use of computer technology in Pixar’s films. The vibrant colors and imaginative designs create an immersive atmosphere that perfectly complements the culinary offerings.

A Menu Bursting with Creativity

The menu at Pixar Place Small Bytes is a true celebration of Pixar’s innovative spirit, featuring a diverse array of shareable plates, salads, sandwiches, and signature beverages. Each dish is a masterpiece of flavor, meticulously crafted to delight the senses and ignite the imagination.

Appetizing Starters

Kick off your culinary adventure with the irresistible “Chips & Bits” section, where you’ll find housemade chips accompanied by an array of tantalizing dips, perfect for sharing with friends and family. The “Portobello Mushroom Fries,” dusted with Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and served with a basil pesto aïoli, are a must-try for mushroom enthusiasts. For those seeking a heartier starter, the “Charred Cauliflower Hummus” is a delightful option, featuring a blend of chickpeas and roasted cauliflower, served with warm flatbread and an assortment of market vegetables for dipping.

Salads and Sandwiches

Small Bytes offers a tempting selection of “Lyte Bites,” including fresh salads and sandwiches that cater to a variety of dietary preferences. The “Falafel Wrap,” a delectable combination of chickpea falafel, arugula, toy box tomatoes, Kalamata olives, pickled onions, tzatziki, and cauliflower hummus wrapped in warm flatbread, is a standout option for vegetarians and vegans alike. For heartier appetites, the “Mega Bytes” section features mouthwatering burgers and nachos, including the “Steakhouse Burger,” a juicy patty topped with aged white cheddar, arugula, tomato, pickled red onions, and aïoli, served with a choice of fries or a fresh field greens salad.

Signature Beverages

No visit to Small Bytes would be complete without indulging in one of their signature beverages. The “Brew Bears” lineup offers a delightful twist on traditional coffee drinks, with options like the “Salted Caramel,” featuring caramel sauce, Maldon sea salt, and crafted with Café Moto Cold Brew, served in an adorable bear-shaped glass. For those seeking a refreshing non-alcoholic option, the “Lavender Lemonade” and “Moroccan Iced Tea” are sure to quench your thirst on a warm California day.

Indulgent Sweets

No meal is complete without a sweet treat, and Small Bytes delivers with a tempting array of desserts. The “Warm Donuts” are a must-try, served hot and fresh, with a variety of toppings to choose from, including the decadent “Maple Bacon” and “Cinnamon Sugar” options. For those seeking a more indulgent dessert, the “Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie” is a heavenly choice, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

A Feast for the Senses

Dining at Small Bytes Pixar Place is more than just a culinary experience; it’s a feast for the senses. As you savor each bite, you’ll be serenaded by the sounds of laughter and merriment echoing from the nearby family play court, where guests can engage in a variety of outdoor games inspired by Pixar’s enchanting film, “La Luna.” The rooftop terrace offers stunning views of the Disneyland Resort, providing the perfect backdrop for your dining adventure. As the sun dips below the horizon, the twinkling lights of the nearby theme parks create a magical ambiance, further enhancing the Pixar-inspired atmosphere.

A Celebration of Storytelling

At its core, Small Bytes Pixar Place Hotel is a celebration of Pixar’s storytelling prowess. Each dish, each beverage, and every element of the decor pays homage to the studio’s ability to captivate audiences with tales that transcend age and cultural boundaries. As you dine, you’ll be surrounded by references to beloved Pixar films, from the playful character silhouettes embedded in the lobby floor to the whimsical artwork adorning the walls. It’s a delightful reminder that Pixar’s magic extends far beyond the silver screen, permeating every aspect of the Pixar Place Hotel experience.

Conclusion

Small Bytes at the Pixar Place Hotel is a true gem, offering a delectable fusion of culinary excellence and Pixar magic. Whether you’re seeking a casual bite with friends or a memorable family dining experience, this rooftop oasis promises to delight your senses and ignite your imagination. So, grab a seat, savor the flavors, and let the whimsical world of Pixar transport you to a realm where storytelling and gastronomy converge in perfect harmony.

DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios Florida features a new show, DreamWorks Imagination Celebration.

DreamWorks Imagination Celebration

The show is in the theater that previously housed DreamWorks Destination. Before that, it was home to “A Day in the Park with Barney.” The entrance has been redecorated with “DreamWorks Imagination Celebration” signage. There are pink swirls on the ground to match the nearby “Trolls” fountain and playground.

The Express Pass entrance uses facial recognition. It’s built into a column at the entrance with a sky-blue wrap.

The pre-show area has been redecorated. The screens are now in cloud frames against a white wall. The railings are the same farm-like fencing but painted a lighter brown.

The entrance doors are green. The walls around them are painted with trees and foliage.

There are more flat trees and giant mushrooms inside the theater. The walls are lined with screens that display the sky, clouds, and other elements relevant to the show. The edge of the stage is now green like the doors.

There are two hosts who sing and retell some famous DreamWorks stories, using the power of imagination.

There are also several dancers, who put on different costumes for different scenes.

Donkey and the dragon appear during the “Shrek” retelling.

They dance to “I’m a Believer” by Smash Mouth.

The hosts then get transported into the Spirit Realm and are joined by Po from “Kung Fu Panda.”

Po is presented with the Staff of Wisdom.

They perform “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten.

Poppy and Branch from “Trolls” come out to perform “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake.

King Julien from the “Madagascar” series makes a surprise appearance at the end of the show.

Watch the DreamWorks Imagination Celebration below.

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

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We took a ride on the new Trolls Trollercoaster at DreamWorks Land in Universal Studios Florida.

Trolls Trollercoaster

The family coaster themed to the “Trolls” movie franchise takes guests on a ride on the Caterbus to escape evil spiders. Trolls Trollercoaster is a retheme of Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, which was part of Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone that closed permanently in January 2023 to make way for DreamWorks Land.

The marquee outside of the attraction features fan-favorite characters, Poppy, Viva, Tiny Diamond, and Satin and Chenille, whose hair forms an arch that guests walk under to enter the queue. A digital wait time display is included on the marquee.

Guests must be over 36 inches to ride. Guests between 36 and 48 inches must ride with a supervising companion. Signage outside of the coaster warns of the following:

This is a high-speed roller coaster ride that includes sudden and dramatic acceleration, climbing, tilting, and dropping.

A cutout of Guy Diamond stands at the entrance to measure guests’ heights.

The Express Pass entrance uses facial recognition in a column decorated with flowers.

The queue is entirely outdoors and is themed with green fencing that looks like giant blades of grass.

There are pink and blue gates, pink light fixtures, and flower signs in the load area. Cast Members wear pink and blue uniforms.

Columns feature rainbow stripes.

The short ride begins going up a small lift hill as music plays. Guest encounter their first spiderweb with spiders at the top of the hill.

From there, guests travel on the orange, green, and yellow tracks past other spiders.

A ride photo is taken during the attraction. A touch screen with a QR code near the exit allows guests to view their photos. This wasn’t available during our preview.

You can watch our full ride through of the Trolls Trollercoaster below:

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

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Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona have a new permanent meet and greet location in DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios Florida. We got to visit Shrek’s Swamp Meet during a preview of the new land.

Shrek’s Swamp Meet

Shrek’s Swamp Meet is located at the front of DreamWorks Land. It’s a recreation of his cottage in the roots of a dead tree, surrounded by foliage.

The sign is painted with images of the three characters. There’s a blank space for future meet and greet times.

The cottage features details like the Shrek logo — an “S” with ogre ears — on a window shutter.

Unfortunately, guests don’t get to go inside the cottage. Shrek and Fiona come outside, while Donkey leans out of a window.

Fiona is in her human form. Donkey has an updated puppet, similar to the one at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Watch our video of the meet and greet below.

Check out our full tour of DreamWorks Land, including the Shrek’s Swamp playground, at Universal Studios Florida.

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

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Sure, Disneyland has a ton of fun rides, great entertainment (have you SEEN the Magic Happens parade?), and fun seasonal events (we are currently OBSESSED with Pixar Fest), but it also has some pretty amazing character meet and greets.

Mirabel at Disneyland

As Disney World folks, we’re also often jealous of the meet and greets that come to Disneyland. Did you know you can meet OSWALD in Disneyland? Plus, there are so many fun limited-time meet and greets like Mei Lee and her mom, Ming Lei, from Turning Red. It looks like another ICONIC character duo could be coming to Disneyland soon.

If you’ve visited Disneyland recently, you may have had an opportunity to meet Mirabel from Encanto at Disney California Adventure. You may have even had a chance to speak with Bruno (and maybe even ask him about his rats) during the 2022 or 2023 Oogie Boogie Bash. Well, two more characters from the Madrigal family could be headed to Disneyland soon.

Bruno at Disneyland

A Disney audition notice has been posted for Isabela and Luisa! The audition notice is for “Character Look-Alike roles of ISABELA and LUISA, to be portrayed at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA.” The notice says that these characters will appear to greet guests, sign autographs, pose for photos, and more.

©Disney

One thing to note is that the audition notice says that the roles are seasonal ONLY, so our closest guess is that we’ll see these characters pop up during Disneyland’s Hispanic and Latin American Heritage, which usually runs from mid-September through October.

Sleeping Beauty Castle

We’ll be keeping an eye out for an official announcement from Disney about these characters and when they’ll be appearing in the park, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

Everywhere You Can Get Beer and Wine in Disneyland

Would you be excited to meet these two characters? Let us know in the comments!

The post Disney Just Dropped a MAJOR Clue About a NEW Character Meet and Greet! first appeared on the disney food blog.

We recently got a first look at the massive Fantasy Springs expansion at Tokyo Disney Sea at Tokyo Disney Resort.

Frozen Kingdom at Tokyo DisneySea

To say we were FLOORED by how amazing each land was and how we loved the rides (especially Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Adventure) is an understatement. We also learned a lot more about how this expansion was put together and how Disney Imagineers ultimately decided what would and wouldn’t go into these new lands. 

When we attended a media preview for Fantasy Springs, we had an opportunity to chat with Disney Imagineers Daniel Jue and Emily “Emo” O’Brien and we learned about some of the things that were originally being planned for the Fantasy Springs expansion.

Peter Pan’s Never Land

Each land is considered a “port” in Fantasy Springs, and one of the ports being considered was a Northern Europe or Scandinavia port, which seems like it would have been Frozen Kingdom plus more Nordic stories. However, the idea was a little TOO big for the space they were working with, so it was shuttered. Frozen Kingdom, though, is so immersive that it seems like just focusing on that was the way to go.

Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey

Imagineers also thought of an Arctic Port, and although we didn’t get specifics, we may be wondering if we missed out on having some polar bears incorporated into the park in some way. Oh, well, missed opportunity, right? Maybe a whole land based on The Santa Clauses? (Call us, Disney, we’ve got ideas).

©Disney

Imagineers also had a different initial idea for Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure. The ride Imagineers went with is a 3D dark ride that uses effects and 3D to create a super-immersive experience. However, Imagineers originally considered many options for the ride in Peter Pan’s Never Land: a suspended ride, a boat ride, a simulator, or even a coaster. But in the end, the ride system they went with, a boat ride, was driven by the story Imagineers wanted to tell. Imagineers wanted the ride vehicle to enhance the storytelling and not draw attention to itself. In this ride, the boat acts as a camera.

Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure

One thing we found interesting is that Tokyo Disney Resort does things a little differently from what we see in the U.S. parks. First, Imagineers worked closely with Japanese Partners, Oriental Land Company, who own the resort. Oriental Land Company might own and operate the parks, but Walt Disney Imagineering designs what goes into the parks while a Japan Disney team overseas operations. It’s a partnership that’s allowed something like Fantasy Springs to come to life.

Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival

We also learned that Tokyo Disney Resort visitors tend to be less about escapism and more about allowing people to be a little more open in a society that is more restrictive than what we’re used to in the U.S. So Tokyo Disney Resort should be an acceptable place to express yourself in a culture where the goal may be to blend in. Understanding these cultural nuances and getting feedback from the teams in Japan helped Imagineers during the design process.

Fantasy Springs Hotel room

It’s still interesting, though, to learn more about what early concepts Imagineers had in mind when the expansion was first announced. We’ll have to say that the entire project came together in such a perfect way, and we’re hoping that maybe some of these concepts make their way to the U.S. parks (we need Frozen Ever After in EPCOT updated now, yes, please, and thank you, and please put an actual Tangled land somewhere because all we’ve got are bathrooms!).

Stay tuned to DFB for more.

“OMG You Guys, Rapunzel IS REAL”: 5 Things That SHOCKED US in Disney’s NEW Fantasy Springs

What do you think of Fantasy Springs from what you’ve seen? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Tokyo Disney Resort to attend their media preview of Fantasy Springs. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ

The post 5 Things That Almost Happened at Disney’s Amazing New Theme Park Expansion first appeared on the disney food blog.

Back in April, it was announced that Disneyland character performers would vote to unionize.

Bing Bong!

The group, calling themselves ‘Magic United,’ planned to represent entertainment cast members to include theatrical performers, parade performers, character performers, and hosts, leads, and trainers that support the entertainment department, as well.  Now, the official vote has taken place to determine if this unionization would occur, and we have the results.

According to NPR, the vote ended on Saturday, May 18th with an overwhelming majority voting to unionize. Out of around 1,700 employees, 953 voted YES, and 258 voted NO.

Indiana Jones in Adventureland

These performers will now officially be recognized by the Actors’ Equity Association, which also represents performers and stage managers at Disney World, on Broadway, and in many more live theater productions across the nation.

Galaxy’s Edge Meet and Greet with Mandalorian and Grogu

This movement towards unionizing was born out of concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as sharing costumes and being in close contact with guests. The Cast Members have been seeking better “health and safety standards, flexible paid time off, fair schedules, job security, and greater involvement in workplace discussions, as well as higher wages.” Further, Cast Members have described getting into costume as “putting their arms into fiberglass.” Others deal with dangerous conditions from overexertion and working in the heat. By being represented by the union, performers will now be able to work towards the goals and work conditions they’ve been seeking.

Mirabel at Disneyland

In a response statement, Disneyland confirmed that non-union employees do receive yearly raises and paid sick leave in ways that align with industry standards, but also said they “support our cast members’ right to a confidential vote that recognizes their individual choices.”

Barley and Ian at Pixar Fest

As long as no election challenges take place, the regional director of the National Labor Relations Board will certify the results within a week, according to NBC. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on this situation as it continues to develop, as well as all other Disneyland news, so stay tuned to DFB!

Don’t forget! This massively popular show is returning to Disneyland this week!

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