Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1248
March 5, 2014
Pollo Campero/BabyCakes NYC to Close in Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney
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Disney Springs construction is currently going on everywhere at Downtown Disney, and one area that’s been on the demolition list has been the Pollo Campero building (which is the former location a McDonald’s at Downtown Disney). This building not only houses this Latin-inspired chicken restaurant, but also Bodie’s All-American and BabyCakes NYC.
It appears that things must progress with Disney Springs, so these three restaurants will be closing. Their last day of operation is scheduled for March 19, 2014.
To many, the biggest loss will be BabyCakes NYC, which is a gluten-free, vegan, organic, and diabetic-friendly bakery that bakes fresh products daily. BabyCakes will continue to provide gluten-free products to select Walt Disney World Resort food courts and restaurants. These include:
The Beach Club Marketplace at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
The Boardwalk Bakery at Disney’s Boardwalk
The Gardens Kiosk at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
The Mara at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
The End Zone at Disney’s All Star Sports Resort
There is no sign of whether any of these three establishments will return when Disney Springs officially debuts.
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A Few Newsworthy Notes and Happenings at Walt Disney World
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Today, I’m bringing you a list of a few newsworthy pieces of information of things that are taking place at Walt Disney World that I wanted you all to be aware of. Some of them are upcoming refurbishments, as well as a few other bits of information.
First, let’s look at some upcoming refurbishments that are on the calendars.
I’ve mentioned before that Disney’s Polynesian Resort is slated to begin a massive refurb in the Great Ceremonial House, and one of those refurbishments includes the quick service restaurant Capt. Cook’s. (A favorite of mine…they not only serve my favorite entree, the adult grilled cheese, but also Tonga Toast AND they have a Dole Whip machine!) The start of this refurbishment was previously unknown, but now it looks like it will begin on March 28 and will last until sometime in June. A replacement dining option will be available for guests during the refurbishment.
At the Magic Kingdom, three attractions are slated to be closed for refurbishments. First, Swiss Family Treehouse will be closed for refurbishment from March 17-28, reopening on March 29. Also, Astro Orbiter will see a very lengthy summer refurb, as it will be closed from May 3 through August 20, reopening August 21. Finally, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover had a refurbishment that was slated to take place earlier this month; that has been pushed back, and it will now be under refurbishment from May 3 – July 1, reopening on July 2. For the full list of attraction refurbishments, make sure to check out our Refurbishment Page.
Now, for the other news items that I wanted to share:
A few changes have occurred at some of the marinas across Walt Disney World property. Watercraft rentals are now discontinued at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. (Watercraft transportation that takes place at Old Key West and Port Orleans continues.)
A new small table service dining location has opened up to guests at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Called Las Ventanas, this small dining room, which was located next to Rix Lounge and was formerly a private dining area for the lounge, now serves both breakfast (from 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.) and lunch (from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) Menu items include dishes with a southwestern/Mexican flare to them.
As you can see, there are lots of little pieces of news that have been floating around. Thoughts?
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PotterWatch: Hogsmeade Station Construction, Zonko’s Still Open, Leaky Cauldron Food
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Welcome back to the latest irregular installment of PotterWatch, our mostly-weekly series of photo updates observing Universal Orlando‘s progress on their Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansions. I’ve been off for the pass couple weeks exploring some attractions on the opposite side of the country, but I’m happy to be back in Florida with a few exciting advancements in the Potter universe. This first PotterWatch of March 2014 features Hogsmeade Station construction, the continued existence of Zonko’s, and yet another look at Diagon Alley’s London facade, plus some tasty new Leaky Cauldron food photo leaks.
Hogsmeade Station Construction
In the last edition of PotterWatch, I shared the first photographs of Island of Adventure’s Lost Continent carnival games buildings after the games had been removed. Shortly after that posting, the buildings themselves were removed, and the entire area immediately outside Hogsmeade Village was more or less demolished.
Hogsmeade Station construction continues near where the Lost Continent games were demolished. (Photos by Seth Kubersky)
Now, the entire entryway to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter from Lost Continent has been walled off, turning Sindbad stadium into a cul-de-sac. Guests wishing to enter Hogsmeade must traverse through Jurassic Park, just as they did during 2010 when the area was first under construction.
The entrance to Hogsmeade from Lost Continent is closed.
The Hogsmeade entrance as seen from the opposite angle. No getting through here!
Follow these signs across the Jurassic Park bridge to enter the Wizarding World.
If we peer past the construction barriers, we can see progress being made on the building that marks the beginning of the party to Hogsmeade Station, as well as the train station itself where the Hogwarts Express will depart for Diagon Alley.
Zonko’s Is Still Open
Despite recent Internet rumors of its demise, Zonko’s joke shop in Hogsmeade is “not dead yet!” and remains open at this writing.
Zonko’s: still open, at least for now…
We know the location will close before Diagon Alley opens at Universal Studios Florida, and its contents transfered to the new Weasley’s Wizarding Whizzes shop there. But Zonko’s shop employees are still selling Pygmy Puffs for now, and say they plan on continuing to do so at least through March.
You’ll still want to say your goodbyes sooner rather than later to Zonko’s macabre decor, as it will eventually be supplanted by an expanded Honeydukes candy selection.
Diagon Alley Construction
There’s not much visible progress left to see on the Universal Studios Florida side of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, as external work on Diagon Alley and the London Waterfront facade is largely complete.
Of these photos look familiar, it’s because not much is different outside Diagon Alley since the last PotterWatch post…
Maybe Pat and Vanna can tell us if there is an “R” in there…
There will soon be even less to see, as the peep holes in the fencing that permitted these pictures have been removed:
Farewell Diagon Alley peep holes, we will never forget you!
Rumors and More
Tom Schroder of Universal Orlando Public Relations, and Universal Creative designer Thierry Coup, both posted photos of new Potter-themed food to Twitter recently. These hearty British dishes are expected to appear in the Leaky Cauldron restaurant in Diagon Alley.
Food, glorious food!
Why do I have the sudden urge to sing selections from “Sweeney Todd”?…
Want. Now.
Finally, a new theme park website has published some spectacular aerial photographs of Diagon Alley, taken during a helicopter fly-over of Universal Orlando. Head over to Pixels at the Parks and enjoy!
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March 4, 2014
Our Pop Century Resort Page Gets A New Look
By Len Testa
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We’ve added more coverage of Disney’s Pop Century Resort to the site, including new photos and these sections:
How Pop compares to Disney’s All-Star and Art of Animation resorts
What’s in a room (and what’s not in a room), including photos
Handicap-accessible room options
The difference between a Standard and Preferred room, and Standard and Pool views
Where to check in, purchase tickets, and make dining reservations
Photos and details on Pop’s pools and playgrounds, including handicap accessibility
Dining and Restaurants, from the Everything Pop food court menus, to refillable mugs, to in-room pizza delivery
Your transportation options, including Magical Express, Disney’s typical bus schedule to the theme parks, when to drive your own car, and getting to Universal
Shopping and recreation choices, including Pop’s 1.28-mile jogging trail route
Babysitting and in-room child care options and prices
Extensive comments from readers who have stayed at Pop Century
We’ve also greatly expanded the Good Rooms and Not So Good Rooms section, with photos and recommendations on the best rooms (and their views!) from each building.
Take a look at the new page, and leave comments and suggestions below. Thanks!
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Castaway Cay Port Adventures Updates
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The beach at Castaway Cay
TouringPlans has just released updated content for Castaway Cay port adventures for our Disney Cruise Line subscribers.
The most important takeaway is that many prices on the island have gone up substantially. While Castaway Cay excursions are relatively inexpensive compared to those on the other islands, increases of 25 to over 50% for most port adventures leave us asking if we’ve discovered the true pirates of the Caribbean.
Port Adventure Sample Prices
Adventure
Old Price
New Price
Bike Rental
$6
$10
Snorkel Rental (adult)
$25
$29
Wildside Teen Adventure
$35
$45
Castaway Ray’s (adult)
$35
$45
AquaTrike Rental
$15
$24
Parasailing (adult)
$79
$95
Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay Best Values
Best values on the island include Bike and Snorkel rentals, and Castaway Ray’s Sting Ray Adventure. For folks who want to double or triple up on activities, DCL offers package deals for bikes, floats, snorkeling, and the sting ray adventure that will save you money off booking everything separately. These package deals must be booked online or from the Port Adventures desk once you’re onboard. They can only be booked a la carte once you’re already on the island.
If you have comments or questions about Disney Cruise Line or Castaway Cay, let us know in the comments section.
The Unofficial Guide to DCL
Pre-order Our DCL Book Today
The Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line by Len Testa, Erin Foster, and Laurel Stewart is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be released in April.
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The Everything Guide: 2014 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival
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©Disney
It’s here! This year’s annual Epcot Flower and Garden Festival kicks off March 5 and will run through May 18. Its purpose is to celebrate everything that’s wonderful about horticulture and spring. This year marks the 21st year of the Festival and it’s sponsored by HGTV.
Each year the Festival offers guests the opportunity to delight in beautiful gardens, topiaries, butterfly gardens, listen to celebrity presentations or the the Flower Power Concert Series, enjoy garden-themed food booths, and much, much more! I thought that since the Festival has arrived, I’d combine everything into one sort of giant “guide” for touring during this time of year.
The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is really one of the most gorgeous times of the year to visit. The park is FULL of color. There’s a magic in the air (some would say it’s because it’s the first sign of life we’ve seen since Fall…goodbye Winter!) It is simply a glorious time to be visiting Epcot in general.
So, without further adieu, let’s take a look at what exactly is new for this year’s Festival:
What’s New for the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival
©Disney
Every year brings about some new bits and pieces to make this festival even better than before and this year, there are quite a few. They include:
The front entrance garden will feature Goofy, Donald, and Daisy as they venture out on a butterfly hunt. Here, Goofy’s butterfly net will prove useless as topiary butterflies light up on the back of his floral garb. Also, a topiary bee will buzz on Donald’s head. The front garden will also feature a real waterfall, as well as a pond with water lilies.
Many of the topiaries will see a new, computer-generated look. They will look more realistic than they ever have before. (And from what I’ve seen, are incredibly impressive! If you liked the topiaries before, these are even more spectacular!)
Maybe it is easy being green, as this year, topiary versions of Kermit the Frog, as well as a floral Miss Piggy will be on display to celebrate the theatrical release of Muppet Most Wanted.
Topiary Timon (from The Lion King) will join his buddy Pumbaa and other Lion King favorites in the Outpost section.
Last year brought us the Marketplace Kiosks – food booths that served garden fresh items. This year they have been renamed as Outdoor Kitchens. There is also a brand new booth called Urban Farm Eats that celebrates an all natural, sustainable garden menu. Some items will even come from The Land Pavilion.
New artists to the Flower Power Concert Series, Gary Lewis and the Playboys who will perform March 14-16 and The Alan Parsons Live Project who will perform May 16-18.
A new Mike & Sulley’s Monstrous Garden will welcome families with a whimsical play land of activities.
Bears Sand Sculpture – To promote the upcoming Disneynature’s Bears film that opens in theaters on April 18, this fantastic sand art exhibit will be able to be found near the Canada Pavilion.
Gardener’s Palette Presented by Transitions Adaptive Lenses: Explore all this charming location has to offer, located at Future World East near Universe of Energy.
Hummingbirds at Home, a new exhibit presented by the National Audubon Society, will feature walk-through hummingbird gardens and tips on how to attract the beautiful birds.
Most things that have been staples for the event are returning. Those include many of your favorite artists for the Flower Power Concerts, gardens, HGTV/DIY Stars, and of course, the incredible topiaries. First, let’s take a look at all the different topiaries that will be found throughout the park.
Cogsworth and Lumiere in the France Pavilion
Topiaries
To me, the main draw of the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is the flowers and the gardens (obviously), so the best part of the festival for me, has to be, hands down, the topiaries that can be found all throughout the park. There are over 100 for guests to spot in all. (What a fun scavenger hunt that is!) I think that these works of art, made entirely from plants are just simply the bees knees.
Here’s a list of which topiaries will be found around Epcot this year, as well as their location:
Topiary Description
Location
Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto
Behind Spaceship Earth
Buzz Lightyear
Mission Space
Mater/Lightning McQueen
Test Track Walkway
Phineas and Ferb
Oddysey Bridge
Mike and Sulley
Imagination Walkway
Fantasia
World Showcase Plaza
Butterfly
Future World/World Showcase Plaza
Bambi and Friends
Canada Pavilion
Peter Pan and Captain Hook
United Kingdom Pavilion
Winnie the Pooh and Friends
United Kingdom Pavilion
Classic Disney Couples
International Gateway
Beauty and the Beast
France Pavilion
Woody and Lotso
American Adventure Pavilion
Lady and the Tramp
Italy Pavilion
Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy
Between Italy Pavilion and Germany Pavilion
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Germany Pavilion
The Lion King
Outpost
Pandas
China Pavilion
Toll
Norway Pavilion
Spring is in the Air – Goofy, Donald, and Daisy
Main Entrance
New this year is slated to be an area where guests can have their first ever topiary photo opportunity. Guests will be able to pose with Goofy and Donald and a topiary soccer ball. How neat!
Festival Center
The Festival Center is located between the Universe of Energy and Mission: Space pavilions. You’ll recognize it by its gold dome. (Also because it was the former Wonders of Live Pavilion years back.) Here, you sit in on the Designer Presentations, hear tips from talented gardeners, shop for Festival merchandise, and more.
Festival Center Shop – Bring home a piece of the event with a variety of Epcot Flower & Garden Festival-themed merchandise.
HGTV Theater – Hear tips from the experts at HGTV and see how Disney Horticulture goes about growing the magic in a video presentation called “The Making of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.”
Planting Pointers – Daily at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, be on hand as the experts from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida present an assortment of topics and ideas to help your technique.
Intermissions Café – Stop by Intermissions Café, which features a fine selection of wine, cheese, wraps and salads.
Ask an Expert – From 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, receive answers to your gardening questions, courtesy of the “Master Gardeners” from IFAS at the University of Florida.
Greenhouse Stage – Drop by daily at either 11:00 AM or 2:00 PM to meet with either Disney horticulturalists gardening specialists as they share their knowledge for your garden at home.
March 7–9:
2014 Top Gardening Trends – Robert Bowden
March 14:
I Did Something Wild in My Yard! Landscaping Techniques to Benefit Wildlife – Dr. Mark Hostetler
March 15:
Magical Hummingbirds – Don Kendzior
March 16:
Florida Hikes for Botanical Beauty – Sandra Friend & John Keatley
March 21–23:
An Edible Education: The Garden as a Teaching Tool -Kendra Lott
March 28:
Mounting Excitement: Creating a Driftwood Air Garden – Dennis Cathcart
March 29:
Accidental Artist – Craig Mitchell Smith
March 30:
Hypertufa—Ancient Pots – Melanie Palmrose
Designers’ Stage Presented by HGTV – Monday through Thursday, expand your knowledge during seminars led by nationally recognized garden VIPs.
The scheduled seminar line up for festival’s Designer’s Stage is:
March 5:
Magical Hummingbirds – Don Kendzior
March 6:
Gardening for Conservation – Jarrod Stewart
March 10:
Monarch Butterflies and Their Migration – Jaret Daniels
March 11–13:
Great Containers Made Easy (12:00 p.m.) – Marcia Leeper & Steven Nordmeyer
Crazy for Containers (3:00 p.m.) – Marcia Leeper & Steven Nordmeyer
March 17:
Gardening with Nature – Don Kendzior
March 18–20:
The Audubon Birdhouse Book: Great Homes for Great Birds – Margaret Barker
March 24:
Colorful Shrubs – Eric Schmidt
March 25–27:
Fantastic New Plants for 2014 (12:00 p.m.) – Danielle Sherry
Diagnosing Your Veggie Problems (3:00p.m.) – Danielle Sherry
At the Designers’ Stage, Friday through Sunday, take part in informative Designer’s Presentations hosted by HGTV personalities. The celebrities will share their wisdom and knowledge with park guests which will happen at 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM.These are fun presentations, but remember, if there’s someone you really want to see, arrive early because spots will be limited and these will be popular! The full list of HGTV/DIY celebrities and their dates are:
Appearance Dates
HGTV/DIY Celebrity
March 7-9
Vern Yip (Design Star)
March 15-16
Chris Lambton, “Going Yard”
March 21-23
Matt Blashaw, “Yard Crashers”
March 28-30
Matt Muenster, ”Bath Crashers”
April 4-6
Taniya Nayak, ”House Hunters on Vacation”
April 11-13
Amy Matthews, “Renovation Raiders”
April 18-20
John Gidding, ”Curb Appeal”
April 25-27
David Bromstad, “Color Splash”
May 2-4
Chip Wade, ”Elbow Room”
May 9-11
Genevieve Gorder, HGTV Star
May 16-18
Alison Victoria, ”Kitchen Crashers”
Flower Power Concert Series
©Disney
The Flower Power Concerts feature bands from yester-year. Performances take place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the Festival at the American Gardens Theater. Showtimes are at 5:30, 6:45 and 8:00 p.m. The concerts are included with your Epcot admission.
These can be fantastic performances (Peter Noone puts on a fabulous show and who doesn’t want to do the YMCA with the Village People live?), so if you see someone on the list you want to see, make sure to line up ahead of time to guarantee yourself a seat. If you don’t necessarily want a seat, remember, you can always take in a little bit of the artist’s show while you’re walking through the American Adventure Pavilion.
March 7-9 The Guess Who “American Woman”
March 14-16 Gary Lewis and The Playboys “This Diamond Ring”
March 21-23 The Orchestra starring former members of ELO “Evil Woman”
March 28-30 The Lovin’ Spoonful “Summer in the City”
April 4-6 Paul Revere & The Raiders “Good Thing”
April 11-13 Village People “Y.M.C.A”
April 18-20 The Grass Roots “Midnight Confessions”
April 25-27 Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone “I’m Henry the VII, I Am”
May 2-4 Starship starring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City”
May 9-11 Chubby Checker & The Wildcats “The Twist”
May 16-18 Alan Parsons Live Project “Eye in the Sky”
Educational Experiences
Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House
The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival offers a lot of different educational opportunities. These include activities such as tours, special gardens, exhibits, and more. I think that these are fantastic offerings and help to add to the buzz (get it? Bees…flowers…oh nevermind…) of what Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival is all about.
Gardens
Garden Retreat (Presented by HGTV) - Test Track Walkway
Water Wise Herbs & Vegetables (Presented by Rain Bird Corporation) – Imagination Walkway
Festival Blooms – Future World East and West Lake
Florida Fresh Garden – Adjacent to the Germany Pavilion
Everglades Garden (Presented by Nature Conservancy) – Imagination Walkway
Italy Container Garden - Italy Pavilion
Exhibits
Gardener’s Palette (Presented by Transitions) – Future World East, near Universe of Energy
Hummingbirds at Home (Presented by the National Audubon Society)
Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House (Presented by HGTV) - Imagination Walkway
Backyard Habitat (Presented by National Wildlife Federation) – Imagination Walkway
Bonsai Collection – Japan Pavilion
Orchids – Mexico Pavilion
Bears Sand Sculpture (Presented by Disneynature Bears) – Near Test Track Walkway
Themed Weekends and Special Happenings
Art in the Garden Weekend – March 28 to March 30 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Visualize nature through the eyes of “plein Air” artists and one-of-a-kind works around World Showcase.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Specialists – April 4 to April 5
Uncover incredible indigenous creatures from the team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.
Florida Fresh Weekend – April 25 to April 27
Behold the bounty of the Sunshine State
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. – May 9 to May 11
Unearth amazing flora designs, each of which defies description.
Tours
Epcot Gardens of the World Tour
Gift the garden enthusiast, or even yourself, with a guided tour led by a Disney horticulturist. Follow along as your host takes you on a 3-hour tour of special displays and award-winning international gardens—taking place Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 9:00 AM to noon.
English Tea Garden – Presented by Twinings of London Tea
Enjoy the history and art of tea blending during a guided 20-minute tour of an elegant English Tea Garden, featuring some of Twinings finest tea blends.
Shopping
This Festival offers a lot of great gardening and home design pieces, as well as merchandise themed after the event. These items include plush, mugs, ears, shirts, wind chimes, pins, and Vinylmation. Each year Disney designs some fabulous new designs to symbolize the event and it appears that this year is no exception! To pick up your souvenirs, head to:
Garden Emporium – Located near the Canada Pavilion.
Garden Treasures – Located near the Mexico Pavilion.
Garden Oasis – Located near the Mexico Pavilion.
Garden Boutique – Located near the Germany Pavilion.
Port of Entry – Located near the entrance to World Showcase.
Mouse Gear – Located inside Future World.
Fun For Kids
Mike Wazowski
Many people wonder if the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is something that only adults enjoy, but that notion couldn’t be further from the truth. There are a lot of little touches that Epcot includes to get the kiddos excited about this festival too. I think they’ll get a kick out the Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House. It is so neat being surrounded by butterflies! And what better place to burn off some steam than Mater’s Play Garden or the all new Monstrous Garden!
Mater’s Parts, Plants & Play Garden: Play at this exciting stop located at Test Track Walkway.
Mike & Sulley’s Monstrous Garden: Scare up some fun at this playground found on Imagination Walkway.
Backyard Play Garden: Join in all sorts of outdoor activity where kids can take part in stimulating activities that inspire playful, active and healthy living.
Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House: Don’t miss the chance to catch a glimpse of Tinker Bell’s butterfly friends as they flutter about at this magical stop.
Outdoor Kitchens
©Disney
Of course, one of the more popular, recent additions, has been the introduction of the Outdoor Kitchens. Last year was the first year for the Outdoor Kitchens (which were known as Marketplace Kiosks). These Kitchens focus on serving small bites of delectable treats and beverages with a focus on fresh ingredients. The booths are similar to what you would see at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. There will be 11 kitchens total, found throughout World Showcase. (Plus the Intermissions Cafe found in the Festival Center, which brings the total to 12.) They open at 11:00 a.m. and close when the park does.
I got to experience these last year and here a few tips. Last year, these seemed a bit less trafficked than the Epcot Food and Wine Festival booths are, but the truth is, if you want to avoid the longest lines, dine at the booths in the afternoon, when they first open. The crowds are likely going to be a bit heavier as time goes on and people make their way back for evening touring around World Showcase.
Of course, if you want to avoid the largest crowds, go to the food booths during the middle of the week. On the weekends, the locals will likely join the party too.
Don’t forget to pick up your Garden Passport. This is a special booklet that you should get stamped as you visit the Outdoor Kitchens. Passports can be picked up at the Festival Center, at any DVC Information Booth, or at the Outdoor Kitchens. I had fun getting this stamped at each booth.
Don’t be afraid to try something outside of your comfort zone. Guests will find the TRYit logo on select entrees and desserts of things that even the pickiest of eaters should enjoy.
It seems like this year, they’ve changed up the menu quite a bit, at least based off of what I sampled. The only thing that I tried last year that’s come back is the pulled pig slider, which I will admit was quite good! It would have been nice if it had a bit of bbq sauce on it too, but it tasted delicious either way.
Here is the full list of all the Outdoor Kitchens that will be featured during this year’s festival:
Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico Pavilion) – Enjoy flavors like savory tacos and fruity cocktails.
Food
Drinks
Tacos al pastor – Corn tortilla filled with achiote-marinated pork, garnished with grilled diced pineapple, onions and cilantro
Tecate draft beer
Quesadilla de hongos con queso – Flour tortilla filled with mushrooms and cheese
White Mexican sangria
Flan de chocolate Abuelita – Mexican chocolate custard
Franbuesa (raspberry) margarita on the rocks
Tequila flight – blanco, reposado and añejo
Dasani bottled water
Lotus House (China Pavilion) - Dine on a variety of Chinese cuisine, like popular street foods and bubble tea.
Beijing-style candied strawberries ©Disney
Food
Drinks
Beijing-style candied strawberries
Popping bubble tea
Spring pancake with grilled chicken and green apple
Kung Fu Punch – Vodka and triple sec with mango and orange juice
Vegetable spring rolls
South Sea Storm – Guava juice with light and dark rum
Plum wine
Tsing-Tao beer
Lychee aerated water
Florida Fresh (Germany Pavilion) – Savor fresh Florida ingredients that are grown and produced locally.
Shrimp and stone ground grits with andouille sausage, sweet corn, tomatoes, and cilantro ©Disney
Watermelon salad with pickled onions, BW Farm baby arugula, feta cheese, and balsamic reduction ©Disney
Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale ©Disney
Food
Drinks
Watermelon salad with pickled onions, BW Farm baby arugula, feta cheese, and balsamic reduction
Watermelon passion fruit slush featuring Simply Lemonade
Shrimp and stone ground grits with andouille sausage, sweet corn, tomatoes, and cilantro
Hurricane class 5 white sangria featuring simply lemonade, Florida orange groves
Florida kumquat pie
Garda Italian Wine Blend, Quantum Leap Winery
Rogue Valley Pinot Noir, Quantum Leap Winery
Blonde Ale, Orlando Brewing Company
Cotton Mouth Belgian Style Witbier, Swamp Head Brewery
Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale, Florida Beer Company
Florida Avenue Blueberry, Cold Storage Craft Brewery
Beer Flight – Blonde Ale, Cotton Mouth Belgian Style Witbier, Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale and Florida Avenue Blueberry
Simply Orange
Primavera Kitchen (Italy Pavilion) – Sample some of this country’s many flavors like caprese, manicotti, torte di ricotta and Italian wines.
Food
Drinks
Caprese – Fior di latte mozzarella, roasted peppers and olio verde
White peach bellini – Prosecco and white peach puree
Three cheese manicotti – Egg pasta stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, tomato sauce and béchamel
Strawberry rossini – Prosecco and marinated strawberries
Torta di ricotta – Lemon cheesecake with limoncello-marinated strawberries
Frozen Italian primavera – Assorted fruit slushy with limoncello and vodka
Placido Pinot Grigio
Placido Chianti
Bosco del Merlo Prosecco
Moretti Lager
Moretti La Rossa
The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews (American Adventure Pavilion) – Celebrate the truly American tradition of barbeque, paired with craft brews from across the country.
Piggylicious Bacon Cupcake with Maple Frosting and Pretzel Crunch ©Disney
Pulled Pig Slider with Cole Slaw ©Disney
Food
Drinks
Pulled pig slider with cole slaw
Magic Hat #9, Magic Hat Brewing
Smoked beef brisket with collard greens and jalapeño corn bread
Maduro, Cigar City Brewing
Smoked turkey “rib”
Fat Tire, New Belgium Brewing Company
“Piggylicous” bacon cupcake with maple frosting and pretzel crunch featuring Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon
Billy’s Chilies, Twisted Pine Brewing Company
Beer Flight – Magic Hat #9, Maduro, Fat Tire and Billy’s Chilies
The Original Rib Shack Red Wine
Hanami (Japan Pavilion) – Hanami is a traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers. Take in the gorgeousness while enjoying delicate bites and refreshing beverages.
Hanami Sushi ©Disney
Food
Drinks
Frushi – Fresh pineapple, strawberries and melon, rolled with coconut rice, topped with raspberry sauce, sprinkled with toasted coconut and served with whipped cream on the side
Pinepple Paradise with Yuzu Slushie – Frozen blend of sweet sake, pineapple juice and crème, flavored with a hint of Yuzu citrus juice
Temaki hand roll – Sliced Panko fried chicken, curry sauce, rice and pickled julienne carrots wrapped with Nori
Orange Mango Slushie – Frozen blend of Nigori sake, mango and orange juice
Hanami sushi – A flavorful combination of salmon, scallop and beef-topped rice balls served atop a shiso violet sauce
Kirin draft beer
Japanese puffed rice cakes with green tea whipped cream and azuki
Taste of Marrakesh (Morocco Pavilion) - Discover the tastes on North African spices which will be paired with fresh ingredients, as well as Moroccan beer and wine.
Food
Drinks
Lamb brewat roll with prunes and sesame
Mint iced tea
Harissa chicken kebab with couscous salad
White sangria
Baghrir – Moroccan pancake with honey, almonds and argan oil
Desert Rose – Sparkling wine with pomegranate liqueur
Casa Beer
Guerrouane red
Fleur de Lys (France Pavilion) – Indulge your senses in France’s most magnificent culinary masterpieces.
Orange Blossom Macaron ©Disney
Food
Drinks
Gnocchi Parisien à la Provençal – Parisian-style dumplings with vegetables and mushrooms
La Vie en Rose frozen slush – Vodka, Grey Goose Orange, St. Germain Liquor, and white and red cranberry juice
Confit de canard, pommes de terre Sarladaise – Pulled duck confit with garlic and parsley potatoes
Kir Imperial – Sparkling wine, Chambord and black raspberry liquor
Macaron à la fleur d’ Oranger – Orange blossom macaron with white chocolate ganache
Rosé pamplemousse cocktail – Rosé wine mixed with natural grapefruit syrup
Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 – Fruity white beer with citrus notes
Buttercup Cottage (United Kingdom Pavilion) - Delight in afternoon tea offerings and fresh garden flavors.
Pork and apple sausage roll ©Disney
Berry tea cocktail and field green with Plant City strawberries ©Disney
Food
Drinks
Freshly baked potato and cheddar cheese biscuit with smoked salmon tartare
Chilled rose blush lemonade featuring Simply Lemonade with Raspberry (nonalcoholic)
Field greens with Plant City strawberries, toasted almonds and Farmstead stilton
Twinings Cold Brewed English Classic with lemon grass syrup
Pork and apple sausage roll with house-made piccalilli
Berry tea cocktail – Twinings Cold Brewed Mixed Berry Tea with Florida Cane vodka and Plant City strawberry, flavored with raspberry and açaí syrup
Freshly baked lemon scones with berry preserves and crème fraÎche
Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee
Deloach Pinot Noir
Pineapple Promenade (Canada Pavilion) – Eat up (quite literally) as you try all kinds of treats featuring delicious and juicy pineapples.
Food
Drinks
Dole Whip
Frozen desert violet lemonade featuring Simply Lemonade (nonalcoholic)
Dole Whip with Myers’s dark rum
Tropical Mango Pale Ale, St. John Brewers
Dole Whip with Parrot Bay coconut rum
Once Upon a Vine’s The Lost Slipper Sauvignon Blanc
Sweet potato cinnamon waffle with pineapple soft serve
Urban Farm Eats – Taste treats from this booth’s all natural menu, with many dishes that have been cultivated from the soil.
Redbridge Gluten-Free Sorghum Beer ©Disney
Food
Drinks
Pickled beet salad with goat cheese cream, mizuna and pistachios
Cucumber lemon spa water, finished with a sprig of fresh mint
Land-grown eggplant “scallop” with romesco sauce and spaghetti squash
The Vegan Vine Chardonnay
Ghost pepper-dusted tilapia with crisp winter melon slaw and mint oil featuring The Original Sauce Man’s Kick It Up Rub
The Vegan Vine Cabernet Sauvignon
Redbridge Gluten-Free Sorghum Beer
Intermissions Cafe (Festival Center) – Pop inside to find fine food and beverages.
Food
Drinks
Grapes
Hurricane Class 5 White Sangria, Florida Orange Groves
Fruit & cheese plate
Garda Italian Wine Blend, Quantum Leap Winery
Vegan trio
Rogue Valley Pinot Noir, Quantum Leap Winery
Southwest chicken wrap
Martini Prosecco
Tuna salad with pita
Strongbow Cider, Bulmers Cider Company
Side salad
SweetWater Blue, SweetWater Brewing Company
Asian tuna salad with noodles
Caprese Push-Pop – Tomato, mozzarella and balsamic
Odds and Ends
Aurora and Prince Phillip illuminated in the International Gateway
There are also a few additional details that you should know that will enhance your visit to the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. The Illuminated Gardens and Topiaries are back. Each evening, enjoy your walk around World Showcase just a little more as the topiaries are illuminated and twinkle. The topiaries are even more spectacular all lit up at night.
In addition, be on the look out for a mini Disney Gift Card that is exclusive to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Much like the gift card that’s available for Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival, this card has a bungee cord so you can wear it around your wrist and simply swipe to pay for food and more. Run out of money? The card can be reloaded as many times as you want at most festival kiosks.
The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is included with your theme park admission, however, keep in mind, that some aspects may have additional costs associated with them.
What are your favorite aspects of the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival? What are you most looking forward to this year? Overall, it’s slated to be another beautiful time to visit Epcot.
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The Everything Guide: 2014 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Ask Jim Hill Ep 25 – How Profitable Are Disney Princesses?
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In this episode of Ask Jim Hill, Len and Jim talk about Disney Princesses. Which one is the most profitable? Can the Princess franchise get any bigger?
New episodes are posted every Tuesday, so be sure to subscribe on YouTube!
If you have a question about Disney or Universal history, you can submit it to AskJimHill@TouringPlans.com, and he may answer it on the air!
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Ask Jim Hill Ep 25 – How Profitable Are Disney Princesses? is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Photo Gallery: Disneyland Dapper Day February 2014
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Do you ever look longingly at old photographs of the Disney parks, and wish you could time-travel back to an era when guests got gussied up in their Sunday Best before visiting the Magic Kingdom? Twice a year you can do just that, thanks to Dapper Days. The most recent retro fashion celebration occured at Disneyland Resort over the weekend of February 22-23, 2014. There’s been plenty of photos floating around online of the most recent Disneyland Dapper Day from inside the parks, which were flooded with flocks of fans wearing high-fashion outfits from the 1920s through 1960s. But there’s been little coverage (until now) of the Dapper Day expo and events held simultaneously inside the Grand Californian hotel’s convention center.
Dapper Day in the Parks
First, here’s a brief look at a few of the ten-thousand-plus Disneyland Dapper Day participatants who were on parade inside the parks:
The queue to ride the Mark Twain riverboat stretched all along the Frontierland waterfront.
Dapper Day Expo
Inside the Grand Californian, various sponsors and vendors set up informational displays and a swap-meet-style shopping area stocked with retro clothes and vintage accessories:
Charles Phoenix Retro Disneyland Slideshow
The highlight of the entire weekend was a sold-out slideshow presentation hosted by author Charles Phoenix, who shared some of his hysterical historical images of the Anaheim resort area during its early years:
This futuristic motel is now the lobby of the Best Western Stovall’s Inn.
Some of the early meet & greet costumes were frankly freaky!
Long-lost Mike Fink Keel Boats.
Original cast of the Golden Horseshoe Revue.
Eventual home of the Matterhorn, before the bobsleds were built.
The original Luigi’s Flying Tires!
Classic Tomorrowland, featuring the much-missed Peoplemover.
For more marvelous mod images, buy Charles Phoenix’s books!
WDW Dapper Day
East Coast vintage fashion fans have their opportunity to show off this weekend at Walt Disney World during Dapper Day at the Magic Kingdom on March 9.
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Photo Gallery: Disneyland Dapper Day February 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
March 3, 2014
St. Martin and St. Thomas DCL Port Adventures Content Updates
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New Port Adventures Information for St. Martin and St. Thomas
St. Maartin Port
After our latest cruise, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean aboard the Disney Fantasy, TouringPlans has updated content for our DCL subscribers on the ports of St. Martin and St. Thomas. We also have the latest information on the DCL port adventures available to cruisers on that itinerary, including links to external web sites for the tour operators to help you make the best decisions with your time and money.
If you have comments or questions about Disney Cruise Line, the Fantasy, or the Eastern Caribbean ports, let us know in the comments section.
The Unofficial Guide to DCL
Pre-order Our DCL Book Today
The Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line by Len Testa, Erin Foster, and Laurel Stewart is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be released in April.
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Walt Disney World Crowd Report – February 23 to March 1, 2014
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Our resort-wide predictions were too low last week although when we missed it tended to be only at one park. We were within one or two index points for 25 of our 28 park level predictions last week and for the other three we missed twice by three index points and once by four. Our resort wide chart below clearly shows however that wait times were higher than expected. When we look at attraction level wait times we see something interesting. The majority of the time when we underpredict it is with an attraction that we would consider secondary, not the headliners. For example, we were virtually bang-on at Peter Pan’s Flight and Space Mountain but missed at Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean. This may relate to Fastpass+ integration, something that we have discovered before and continue to spend time examining, watch for more blog articles about that.
In the meantime, let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up day-to-day last week.
Walt Disney World Crowd Report Feb 23-Mar 1
The Walt Disney World Crowd Report
February 23, 2014 to March 1, 2014
Sunday’s resort-wide crowd level ’3′ was the only resort-wide prediction that was spot on for the week. All parks had below average crowds including Magic Kingdom which peaked at a level ’4′. Epcot and Animal Kingdom were one level lower at ’3′ while The Studios came in as the lowest crowd level at ’2′.
Epcot surprised us the most on Monday with a crowd level ’5′, three levels higher than we predicted. Wait times were not drastically high though. In fact, Test Track’s average posted time was 46 minutes, 5 minutes lower than expected. Soarin’ had an average posted time of 61 minutes, 9 minutes higher than expected. The other three parks were all one or two levels higher than we predicted although none peaked higher than a level ’5′. In fact, the Studios and Animal Kingdom had low crowds, both a level ’3′ on our scale.
On Tuesday, it was Magic Kingdom that surprised us. We saw average posted times of 25 minutes at Haunted Mansion (predicted 11), 39 at Jungle Cruise (predicted 12), 24 at Pirates of the Caribbean (predicted 16) and 44 minutes at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (predicted 30). This may be more evidence that Fastpass+ is causing increased standby times at secondary attractions while lowering standby times at headliners. Space Mountain was only 8 minutes higher than expected and our prediction for Peter Pan’s Flight was spot on. All this translates to a crowd level ’6′, we predicted ’2′. Strangely, crowds were low as expected at all three other parks, including a crowd level ’1′ at The Studios.
Our prediction for a level ’3′ at Magic Kingdom on Wednesday was accurate and all other predictions were within one level. No park had a crowd level higher than ’3′ making each park a good choice on Wednesday.
We had predicted a resort-wide level ’1′ on Thursday and although that turned out to be 2 index levels too low, our predictions for each park were all within one. Magic Kingdom was a ’4′ (predicted ’3′), Epcot a ’3′ (predicted ’2′), The Studios a ’2′ (predicted ’1′) and Animal Kingdom a ’2′ (predicted ’1′). A difference of one index level indicates a difference of less than 5 minutes for the average posted time at the attractions, well within our comfort level.
Magic Kingdom surprised us again on Friday but this time we underpredicted by three index levels. We had predicted a level ’4′ but observed a level ’7′ thanks to higher than expected wait times at Pirates of the Caribbean (36 minutes, predicted 17) and Jungle Cruise (48 minutes, predicted 17). Once again wait times at Peter Pan’s Flight and Space Mountain matched what was expected although park-wide, wait times were higher on average. Epcot came in at a level ’4′ (predicted ’3′), The Studios a ’3′ (predicted ’1′) and Animal Kingdom a ’4′ (predicted ’3′).
Our prediction of a crowd level ’6′ at Magic Kingdom on Saturday was bang on although resort-wide our wait time predictions were low. Although all of our park level predictions were within one or two, our resort-wide number missed by three. This is possible due to the way we calculate the index but it is a quirk that may not properly reflect the accuracy of our resort-wide number. Animal Kingdom was the most crowded park at a level ’7′ while The Studios came in at ’5′ and Epcot a ’4′.
What to Expect This Week
March 2 to 8, 2014
Crowds next week will start to climb to above average levels thanks to the start of spring break for some school districts. In fact, crowds over the next several weeks will ebb and flow in parallel with the percentage of schools that are in session. Touring plans are essential this time of year as crowds tend to be more unpredictable.
To see Walt Disney World Crowd predictions for the days of your vacation, check the Crowd Calendar.
To get details about our predictions of future crowds or details about crowds in the past check out the Crowd Calendar and select “Jump to Date” on the left margin.
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