Author: disneyfoodblog.com

Now that we’ve had the opportunity to step foot inside Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom before both parks officially reopen on July 11th, we’ve been processing everything sight, sound, and smell we’ve just experienced for the first time in many months!

And now that we’ve had some time to let everything sink in, we’re here to tell you about the top three things that really shocked us!

There’s IS Such a Thing as Being Too Early

While many of us are used to arriving at the Disney World theme parks WELL before they officially open so we can park and get to the gates in time for rope drop, we might’ve jumped the gun a bit yesterday!

We were following our pre-closure routine of hopping in our cars and driving to theme parks early thinking we’d be allowed in. But when we arrived at Magic Kingdom around 7:45AM yesterday (the park had a 9AM open), there was a big ol’ traffic jam at the park. It seems we weren’t the only ones who had the same bright idea of gettin’ an early jump on the day!

Many people ended up waiting on the sides of the road or in the McDonald’s parking lot (if heading to Animal Kingdom) because Disney wasn’t even allowing guests to sit and wait in the parking lot. Disney is really trying to avoid crowding, so you may not get into the parking lot of in front of the entrances as early as you’re used to.

We’ll check back in and let you know what transportation is like at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s official reopening tomorrow, but for now, even though it goes against almost everything you know about Disney World (and is probably deeply embedded in the fiber of your being), you might want to plan on arriving much closer to the park’s opening time.

We were allowed into the parking lots at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom both about half an hour before park opening. With the theme parks operating at a significantly reduced capacity, you don’t need to hold onto your “beat the rush” mentality for the time being — there’s not going to be as much of a rush to beat! Instead, you might get stuck like we did IN the morning rush, but if you wait just a little bit, you’ll have a much easier time arriving at the parks. From what we’ve experienced so far, once you’re inside, you should still have plenty of time to enjoy everything with significantly shorter wait times in most cases!

Check out all the different types of transportation we used to get around yesterday at Disney World!

Splash Mountain Mania

While we never waited more than a few minutes to ride anything this week at Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Animal Kingdom, including some big-name stuff such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and Flight of Passage, the same can’t be said for Splash Mountain — or rather, it’s gift shop.

The demand to go inside the Splash Mountain store yesterday was so high that the virtual queue was activated and it was over a 24o minute wait when we checked! So, if you’re looking to snag some Splash merchandise, you may want to make it one of your first stops.

Ever since Disney announced its plans to retheme Splash Mountain with a new storyline and characters from The Princess and The Frog, people are adamant about enjoying this original version of the attraction one last time. Don’t worry — Disney hasn’t announced when Splash Mountain will be closing for refurbishment, but a lot of guests aren’t taking any chances!

We’re actually really curious to see if the Splash Mountain store’s virtual queue will surpass Rise of the Resistance’s wait time when Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopens next week! Initially, Disney had announced a virtual queue for the Rise of the Resistance would not be returning. However, it appears they’ve changed their mind, and they will, in fact, be reinstating a modified virtual queue for Rise of the Resistance after all.

Click here to see more of the crazy wait to get into the Splash Mountain Gift Shop!

Paint-By-Number Castle

One of the biggest changes we’re still wrapping our brains has nothing to do with enhanced safety measures like physical distancing or wearing a face mask all day. For us, having Cinderella Castle look so different is going to take some getting used to. While it’s still totally recognizable, and regal, and STUNNING — it’s pretty jarring when you first experience it in person! And depending on the time of day it is, the light strikes it differently and it can appear very, VERY pink!

We’ll see over time how we feel about the change, but as polarizing as Cinderella Castle’s new look might be, we were pretty thrilled to witness this little part of its history yesterday. Disney’s scenic painters were working on the castle as we walked by and we noticed some huge hand-painted numbers were written on each of the bricks!

Normally, Disney would never let such a behind-the-scenes moment like this slide, but since they’ve promised to keep the castle uncovered during its refurbishment and they appeared to be working frantically to finish the castle (maybe even in time for this weekend?), they showed us a peek of their process!

Now we know how THEY KNOW what shade of gray paint to use for each brick. Cinderella Castle was literally a giant paint-by-number painting yesterday!

Check out more photos of the giant “Paint-By-Number Castle” here!

We’ll be attending the grand reopening of Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kindom tomorrow so we’ll let you know whether the paint-by-numbers have been covered up — or not! Until then, check out some of the new Character Cavalcades and entertainment offerings we’ve already experienced at Disney World here!

On a quest to quench your thirst? Find out where to find water in a newly-reopened Disney World here!

Did you attend either of the Annual Passholder previews this week at Disney World? Tell us what surprised you the most in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, Disney News, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, annual passholder preview, arriving, Disney World, limited capacity, paint by number castle, Parking, reopening, shocked, splash mountain, strange, surprising, traffic jam, unsusual, virtual queues, Wait Times

This year has definitely had its share of unprecedented situations — and the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is also getting a bit of a shake-up!

When Epcot reopens to guests on July 15th, the park will also kick off the annual Food & Wine Festival. It will run from July through the fall, making it the longest Food & Wine to date! The festival will also include some elements from the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, which began just a few days prior to the park closure.

There will only be 24 booths at the festival this year, but don’t worry, there will still be new eats (and drinks) to try! Let’s take a look at all of the NEW menu items coming to the Food & Wine Festival this year!

Africa

The Africa booth is returning to this year’s festival, featuring the brand-new Spicy Kenyan Vegan Corn and White Beans with Pigeon Peas, Quinoa & Ancient Grains Medley and Kachumbari Slaw!

Another exciting feature of this menu item in addition to its “newness” — it’s plant-based!

Click here to see the full menu for the Africa booth!

Appleseed Orchard

Looking for a new alcoholic beverage to try? If so, Appleseed Orchard is a great booth to swing by!

New additions to the menu this year include:

• Heavy Seas Brewery TropiCannon Citrus IPA
• Parish Brewing Co. Ghost in the Machine Double IPA
• 3 Daughters Raspberry Lemonade Dry Hard Cider
• Short’s Brewing Company Starcut Ciders Mosa Hard Cider
• Ciderboys Banana Bliss Hard Cider, Stevens Point

Now that’s a lot of new boozy options!

Click here to see the full menu for Appleseed Orchard!

Canada

You’ll also find some a new adult beverage at the Canada booth — the Collective Arts Brewing Blackberry Fruit Beer!

Sounds like a fruity, refreshing choice to keep us powering through the festival!

Click here to see the full menu for the Canada booth!

Mac and Cheese, Hosted by Boursin Cheese

We’ve reached an exciting point in our list — that’s right, Mac and Cheese, Hosted by Boursin Cheese is a NEW BOOTH at this year’s festival! So, what menu items can you indulge in at this new addition? The food offerings include:

• Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese topped with Herbed Panko
• Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce topped with Carrots, Celery, and Blue Cheese Crumbles
• Lobster Macaroni and Cheese with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce and Lobster Cream topped with Herbed Panko
• Macaroni and Cheese with House-made Italian Sausage and Peppers (Plant-based)

And while a few of the beverages on the menu have appeared at other booths before, the Stiegl Brewery Radler Zitrone is also a festival newcomer!

Wanna know more about the Mac and Cheese booth? We’ll add pictures of all the menu items HERE after the festival kicks off!

Desserts and Champagne

This booth took a hiatus, but Desserts and Champagne is back in action at the festival this year!

And, as the name suggests, there are several new sweet treats guests can enjoy! New menu additions include:

• Liquid Nitro Chocolate Cake Pops
• Liquid Nitro Chocolate Cake Pops with Crumbled Twix Chocolate Bars
• Liquid Nitro Chocolate Cake Pops with Crushed M&M’s Candies

We’re definitely excited about these flavors!

Click here to see the full menu from the Dessert and Champagne booth! 

Earth Eats

The Earth Eats booth is serving up a few new options as well! Here, you’ll find a new plant-based menu item, The Impossible Burger Slider with Wasabi Cream and spicy Asian Slaw on a Sesame Seed Bun!

And there’s a new beverage on the menu too! The Playalinda Brewing Company Violet Lemonade Ale will make its debut at this year’s festival.

Click here to see the full menu for the Earth Eats booth!

France

We’ve found lots of our festival favorites at the France booth in past years. So, we’re excited to try the new dessert — Tarte Tropezienne, Coulis Framboise: Brioche Cake filled with Light Pastry Cream and Raspberry Coulis!

And there’s a new beverage here as well — VeRy Raspberry: Rosé Wine with Natural Raspberry Flavor!

Click here to see the full menu from the France booth!

Germany

You won’t find any new food items at the Germany booth this year, but there is a new drink — the M.I.A. Brewing Hugo!

Of course, beer is a staple of the Germany booth, so we’re excited to see a new option on the menu!

Click here to see the full menu from the Germany booth!

Islands of the Caribbean

You’ll find a new dessert at the Islands of the Caribbean booth this year!

The new sweet treat is Flancocho: Passion Fruit Cake with Coconut Flan!

Click here to see the full menu from the Islands of the Caribbean booth!

Italy

The Italy booth is serving up new sweet AND savory menu options!

The additions to this booth include:

• Margherita: Rustic Italian Flatbread with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese
• La Classica: Cheese Tortellini with Ricotta, Provolone, Fontina, Parmesan, Vodka Sauce, and Crispy Bacon
• Traditional Sicilian Cannoli: Crisp Pastry filled with Sweet Ricotta, Chocolate, and Candied Orange

Sounds like a nice three-course meal to us!

Click here to see the full menu from the Italy booth!

Japan

Guests will also find several new eats at the Japan booth!

The additions to the booth include:

• Tempura Donburi: Two pieces of Tempura Shrimp and Kakiage (Vegetable Tempura) with Tentsuyu Dipping Sauce served over Sushi Rice
• Chirashi Sushi Flowerpot: Fresh-cut Salmon, Salmon Roe, and Spinach served over Sushi Rice with Furikake and topped with Poke Sauce

Plus, you’ll find a few drinks from the Flower & Garden Festival — both the Strawberry Nigori Sake and Furano Martini are on the menu!

Click here for the full menu from the Japan booth!

Mexico

The Mexico booth is comin’ in hot with a bunch of new menu items!

Here are the new eats you can try at the festival this year:

• Ribeye Taco: Ribeye Steak with Ranchera Salsa in a Corn Tortilla topped with Onions, Chives, and a Lime Wedge
• Pork Tostada: Fried Corn Tortilla topped with Chipotle Black Beans, Roasted Pork, Fresh Salsa Verde, Onions, and Cilantro

And the rest of the new additions are beverages (which sound delightful!):

• Mexican Craft Beer: Tulum Artisanal Lager crafted with Citrus notes and made with Mexican Caribbean Seawater
• Passion Rose Sangria: Red Wine, Rum, Rose Petal Liqueur, Passion Fruit Purée, and Lime
• Clásica Margarita: Tequila, Chile Poblano Liqueur, Lime Juice, and Agave Nectar with a Salt Rim
• Mango Smoky Margarita: Mango Purée, Mezcal, Applejack, Lime Juice, and Agave Nectar with a Tajín Chile-Lime Rim

This booth tends to be a fan-favorite, so we can’t wait to taste all of the new options!

Click here to see the full menu from the Mexico booth!

Refreshment Port

Guests will also find a new boozy beverage at Refreshment Port!

New to the festival this year is the Zing Zang Seasonal Bloody Mary featuring Absolut Vodka!

Click here to see the full menu from Refreshment Port!

Refreshment Outpost

Not to be confused with Refreshment Port, Refreshment Outpost is located across the World Showcase Lagoon, between the China and Germany Pavilions!

And this location is serving up several new beverages this year:

• Outpost Lemonade: Frozen Minute Maid Lemonade and Absolut Vodka
• Mango Starr: Mango Puree and Starr African Rum

A frozen, fruity drink sounds like a great choice on a hot day in Epcot!

Click here to see the full menu from the Refreshment Outpost booth!

Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar

Surprisingly, the new addition at Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar is not a drink!

New this year, we have the Banana Bread with Mixed Berry Compote — another plant-based option!

Click here to see the full menu from Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar!

Funnel Cake Stand

And rounding out our list, the Funnel Cake Stand is offering a new savory menu item!

This year, guests can order the Street Corn Funnel Cake topped with Roasted Corn, Cotija Cheese, Cilantro and Cumin Crema dusted with Paprika!

Click here to see the full menu from the Funnel Cake Stand!

So there you have it, the new food and drink items that will be served at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival this year! Of course, we’ll be there to taste EVERYTHING and report back, so be sure to keep an eye on Disney Food Blog for all of the festival info you need to know!

Check out more information about the 2020 Epcot Food & Wine Festival!

Which of these new menu items are you the most excited to try? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney parks, Epcot, Featured, Food and Wine Festival, Snacks, Walt Disney World, 2020 epcot food and wine, 2020 epcot food and wine festival, 2020 Epcot Food and Wine Festival booths, 2020 epcot food and wine festival menus, Africa Booth, Appleseed Orchard, Canada Booth, desserts and champagne booth, Earth Eats, France Booth, Funnel Cake Stand, Germany booth, Islands of the Caribbean Booth, Italy Booth, Japan Booth, mac and cheese hosted by boursin, mexico booth, new menu item, new menu items, Refreshment Outpost, refreshment port, Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar

We’ve been reporting LIVE from Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom for the Annual Passholder and Cast Member previews over the last few days!

We wanted to touch base on what we’ve experienced so far when going through security with the new health and safety protocols so you can be better prepared for your next visit. Do keep in mind that we have only checked this out during the previews and have experienced changes already, so this process could change again.

Before going through security, all guests are required to take a temperature check. The thermometers are touchless just like the devices used at Disney Springs. You may be asked to remove your hat or to push back your hair so the people conducting the checks can get the best read of your temperature .

During the Cast Member previews, we were given a plastic bag to place to store electronics and small items before we walked through the metal detector.

While at Annual Passholder Previews, security asked us to walk through the metal detector with our bags in hand without depositing anything into a plastic bag. If a bag were to set off the metal detector, security will check it with a metal detector wand and minimal touching. While weren’t given a plastic bag during the preview, security measures are subject to change at any time.

Security is limiting contact with your bags and items as much as possible. Guests will open any zippers and pockets and possibly remove larger items to the show Security Guards the entirety of their bags. They might ask if you have an umbrella or metal water bottle that might set off the detector.

To promote social distancing, the security lines are spaced out with 6 feet markers. These markers are placed throughout Disney property where any lines may be present. The markers make the lines look much longer than they are since all travel groups are spaced out.

Keep an eye out for more updates as we explore Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom this weekend! We’ll be sure to keep you informed on new procedures and what it’s like to vacation at Disney World since the new updates!

When are you planning to visit Disney World? Let us know in the comments below. 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, Featured, Walt Disney World, animal kingdom passholder preview, animal kingdom re-open, bag check, Disney World, disney world closure, disney world passholder preview, Disney World Re-Open, passholder preview, security check

Love the sights, sounds, and smells of Cars Land? Well, Disney whipped up a recipe that is sure to help tie you over until you can race back into Disneyland Resort!

Flo’s V8 Cafe is a Radiator Springs staple and serves up some of the best quick-service dishes on this side of Route 66. (It also has an unbeatable view of Cadillac Range in Radiator Springs Racers!) We’ve got our hands (tires?) on a D23 recipe for Flo’s famous Strawberry-Rhubarb pie!

This hearty pie features a crispy streusel topping with a touch of orange juice that really gets your motor going. It’s the perfect summer pie to share with the whole street! Start your engines and let’s get cookin’.

Ingredients

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
1 ½ cups sliced frozen rhubarb
Favorite pie crust or pie dough (enough for a 2-crust pie)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 cups fresh sliced strawberries
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
½ cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Streusel Topping
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
Place rhubarb on towel or layers of paper towels to thaw and drain, removing as much liquid as possible. Preheat oven to 425˚F. Roll out the crust for two 9-inch crusts. Place 1 crust in the bottom of the pie pan; chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together egg and water in a small bowl to make the egg wash. Set aside.

Mix thawed and drained rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, sugar, orange zest and orange juice in a large mixing bowl; set aside for 10 minutes. Stir flour and cinnamon into the rhubarb-strawberry mixture. Pour filling into shell and brush edges with egg wash. Add top crust and seal edges with fork tines.

Use a sharp knife to slice a cross into the center of the top crust. Using your fingers, pull back all 4 points of the cross until the dough can be pressed into edges of the crust. Egg wash the top of the pie and sprinkle streusel topping onto exposed pie filling. Collar pie with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375˚F and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until pie is golden brown, removing foil last 15 minutes. Cool before serving. Serves 6 (makes a 9-inch pie).

Streusel Topping
Combine sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix in softened butter with a fork or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.

This recipe is the perfect way to fill us up while we wait to roll on into Radiator Springs. It’s got the citrus zing of orange juice, the bitterness of rhubarb, and balanced with sweet strawberries and streusel. It’s a dish that’s fit for the Piston Cup!

Need a main course to go with your pie? Try this Disney Cruise Line recipe for Guava Glazed Ribs!

Will you be making Flo’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie? Let us know how it turns out!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, Featured, News, Recipe, California Adventure, disney copycat recipe, Disney recipe, disney recipes, Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Flo’s Cafe, Flo’s V8 Cafe, pie recip, radiator springs, strawberry pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Walt Disney World is reopening in phases this week. We caught up with everything new and missing at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom during the Annual Passholder previews.

Some art experiences were not in operation at Magic Kingdom yesterday. Most notably, the artists who typically perform custom parasol painting, caricatures, and hand-cut paper silhouettes were unavailable. We also noticed ornament customization was halted at the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe (a Cast Member mention it should resume sometime soon).

We spoke to a Cast Member yesterday and they mentioned that they are keeping contact experiences limited. However, some experiences could become available again soon. We just got word from another Cast Member that Glass Blowing demonstrations are set to return tomorrow — but things can always change.

Crystal Arts on Main Street typically features an Artist who creates custom glass pieces in front of guests. The classic experience has been around for quite a while. We’re interested to see if it will make an appearance tomorrow.

We’re getting a lot of questions regarding the return of many crowd-favorite experiences. (Like the possible return of balloons on Main Street!) Keep watching our posts for updates as we learn more.

Want to know all the attractions open at Magic Kingdom? Check out the list here!

Do you love watching the glassblowers in Magic Kingdom? Let us know!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney merchandise, Disney News, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, Animal Kingdom, caricature, Crystal Arts, disney closure, disney re-open, disney springs, disney world re-opening, glass blowing, glass demonstration, main street, main street shop, ornament, parasol, silhouette portrait, Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe