Author: disneyfoodblog.com

Walt Disney World is in the beginning stages of reopening this week and we’ve been running around the theme parks checking out all the new updates and info.

We’ve seen select pre-shows be eliminated from line queues and high-touch areas like Dumbo’s Play Area be closed to guests. Many guests were curious about how the Rider Switch process will work under all the new health and safety protocols.

When Universal Orlando reopened, we reported that the theme park was still using the Rider Swap service. We were interested to see if Disney World would be following suit. While touring Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom, we discovered that the Rider Switch is BACK. Plus, the process is the same as it was prior to Disney World’s closure.

If you’re not familiar with Rider Swap, it’s where one person waits in line, and the other stays outside with a guest who isn’t able or doesn’t want to ride the attraction. Guests will visit a Cast Member at the attraction where they will scan your MagicBands. The first person will ride the attraction and once finished, swap with the second person.

The second person will enter through an expedited entrance and skip most of the line. The separate queue is generally the designated FastPass line. The FastPass line was open at Disney World today, but only for Rider Switch guests. We checked with Cast Members at Expedition Everest and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train to confirm that Rider Switch is still operating normally across both theme parks.

We’ve learned a ton about the new processes in Disney World and we’ll continue to discover more as we stake out the parks. We’ve got more updates coming your way so keep following along with us!

Want to know what it’s like to order and eat at a newly reopened Disney World? Check out the new quick-service process here!

Will you be using the Rider Switch service at Disney World? Let us know below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, Featured, Walt Disney World, Animal Kingdom, das, disability access services, disney closure, Disney World, Disney World Re-Open, magic kingdom, re-open, Rider Swap, Rider Switch

It looks like Milwaukee Bucks player and Disney superfan Robin Lopez’s Fairy Godmother has come THROUGH!

Earlier, the professional athelete lamented on Twitter about not being allowed inside the theme parks while the NBA finished their 2019-2020 season at Disney World. Even though the players are being housed on-property, they’re being kept apart from the general public for the entirety of their stay.

But according to USA Today, the NBA teams are now being given the opportunity to enjoy the theme parks once the crowds have left for the day! While it seems like only select attractions will be available, the NBA has made arrangements with Disney to provide after-hours access to the NBA players including rides like Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom, Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios, and Test Track at Epcot!

The NBA teams were informed of this latest development in a memo that was delivered to them last night. The letter stated, “Players will have the first opportunity to select experiences on a first come first serve basis and are recommended to book experiences at least 48 hours in advance.”

But that’s not all — while we’ve already learned about some of the extra amenities NBA players will enjoy while inside the Disney bubble such as video games, pedicures, and 24-hour concierge service, they’ve just sweetened the pot a lot more!

Check out these brand-new“bookable experiences on the NBA campus at Disney” that have been just been added!

Golf

NBA players and staff will now have special access to Disney’s Palm Golf Course, Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course, and Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course with exclusive tee times for four players throughout the day, six days a week.

Fishing and Boating

Later this month, fishing excursions for the NBA players will start! The trips will last up to two-hours with five guests allowed per boat. These guided fishing tours will disembark from the Grand Marina (many NBA players will be staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort).

NBA players will also have access to motorized pontoon boats.

Bowling

Earlier, we learned Splitsville Luxury Bowling Lanes would be reopening July 10th in Disney Springs. And 2-3 times a week, NBA players will have the chance to bowl!

By the end of the day today, all 22 NBA teams that will be participating in the NBA restart will be inside the Disney bubble while the first game will kick-off July 30th. You can click here to see their game schedule and be sure to let us know which teams you’ll be rooting for in the comments below!

Check out the newly installed practice courts where NBA players will be warming up at Disney World here!

What do you think about these new perks for NBA players inside the Disney bubble? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, Disney News, disney’s hollywood studios, Epcot, Featured, Walt Disney World, 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Special Events, after hours access to the theme parks, boating, bookable experiences on the NBA campus at Disney, Bowling, disney springs, Disney World, disney’s grand floridian resort, Expedition Everest, fishing, golfing, grand marina, nba players, special ammenities, splitsville, staff, teams

We are back in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, bringing you coverage from today’s Annual Passholder Preview ahead of the park’s official reopening to guests this Saturday, July 11th.

And if there’s one thing that a LOT of people associate with a stroll down Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A., it’s the fragrance of buttery popcorn that greets you from the Main Street Popcorn Cart the moment you step into the park.

Of course, that’s not the only place you can find popcorn, as carts are located in each land and right by Cinderella Castle. So, no matter where you are in Magic Kingdom, you’re only steps away from POPCORN… which also means you’re only steps away from a Refillable Popcorn Bucket available for purchase!

Refillable Popcorn Buckets can vary in price (especially with regards to specialty souvenir buckets which can vary with the season), but your basic bucket will run you $12.00, filled with popcorn for your first purchase. Refills are then available for 2 bucks a POP, valid for your length of stay.

But how do Refillable Popcorn Buckets work in light of new safety protocols which encourage contactless measures to promote physical distancing when possible?

Well, from our experience today, we learned how they are handling things at the Magic Kingdom carts. We showed them our Refillable Popcorn Bucket, and they were indeed able to offer us a $2.00 refill.

BUT! Rather than filling our Red Mickey Balloon Refillable Bucket (the way they did in Disney Springs), they gave us our refill in a fresh BOX of popcorn. (Great to see the Mary Blair-inspired popcorn boxes again, isn’t it?)

Enjoy it by the carton, or you can go ahead and pour your fresh batch into your Refillable Popcorn Bucket.

So, THAT’S how things are poppin’ in Magic Kingdom right now! Remember, Magic Kingdom will be joined by the reopening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Saturday, followed by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios which will both reopen on July 15th. You can catch up on all the latest about the phased reopening of Walt Disney World and other Disney Parks around the globe by visiting any of the links below.

Is popcorn a must-eat snack for you in Disney World? Please let us know with a comment!

 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney parks, Featured, magic kingdom, Snacks, Walt Disney World, disney popcorn, magic kingdom reopening, Magic Kingdom Reopening Passholder Preview, mary blair popcorn box, popcorn, Popcorn Carts, popcorn refills, Refillable Popcorn Bucket, walt disney world reopening

Now that Magic Kingdom has officially welcomed back guests, we’re making our way through the park to see what all has changed.

One place that is definitely different than our last visit is Be Our Guest Restaurant. Prior to reopening, we noticed that the restaurant would no longer offer quick service breakfast or lunch, and the menu options saw some changes. So, what’s it REALLY like inside the reopened Be Our Guest Restaurant? Let’s take a look!

When we stopped by the host stand for Be Our Guest, they were actually taking limited same-day reservations. The Cast Member told us that later in the afternoon, they would be operating more on a first-come, first-served basis. Do keep in mind, we’re here during Passholder previews, so the situation may be different come Saturday.

On the way into the restaurant, we spotted some directional markings on the bridge to make sure that guests keep to their side of the path.

Once seated, we were able to access our menu via the QR code on the table. Remember, Be Our Guest has a prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner (the only available mealtimes right now). For adults, it’s $62 and for kids, it’s $37.

Well, shockingly, we actually got to see a character while we were here! Though it was not previously announced that Be Our Guest would have a modified character experience, we got to wave at Beast while we ate! Sure enough, our big buddy wandered the restaurant for much of our meal.

He even stopped by the West Wing to check on the rose! This was seriously a sweet surprise considering characters are a little bit less of a known commodity in a reopened Disney World. He didn’t pause for selfies like we’ve seen our Disney pals do in other modified meals like Topolino’s Terrace, but it was still a treat to have him here.

We will back with more details on our meal soon, so stay tuned!

And there you have it! Our meal at Be Our Guest definitely had its surprises! It was made all the better by Beast’s presence in the dining room. Stay tuned to DFB as we cover EVERYTHING there is to see at the reopened Disney World theme parks!

Click here to see all of the Disney World restaurants that are reopening with the parks!

Would you still eat at Be Our Guest Restaurant with these changes in place? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney parks, Featured, magic kingdom, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest Menu, Be Our Guest Menu changes, Be Our Guest Restaurant, disney world reopened, Disney World reopening day, magic kingdom reopening

A lot of our attention has been centered around Disney World lately now that Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom have reopened for Cast Member and Annual Passholder preview days this week, but now we’re taking you over to the west side of the United Stares — or SoCal to be more specific!

Disney World’s shopping and entertainment district known as Disney Springs reopened all the way back in May, but Downtown Disney (the Disneyland Resort equivalent) has just started welcoming guests back TODAY!

It’s been a minute since we roamed Disneyland Resort! The theme parks, hotels, and Downtown Disney closed down right around the same time as Walt Disney World back in March!

And while it’s still unknown when Disneyland’s theme parks and hotels will reopen, Downtown Disney is now open from 10AM to 8PM daily — although some individual locations might have varying hours.

We had a chance to scope it out yesterday for a Cast Member preview (we were invited by a friend) and found the vibe to be pretty chill. Crowds were minimal with very short wait times to enter shops — some stores we were able to walk right in!

That being said, we’re hearing reports that Downtown Disney is much busier today now that it’s open to the general public. We’ll be returning to Downtown Disney later today and will update you with all the latest information regarding what the crowd levels are like this afternoon, but for now, here are some photos from our experience yesterday.

Transportation

Parking at Downtown Disney is currently free, but only the self-park Simba lot is open (located next to/behind Paradise Pier Hotel). Disneyland’s monorail is not currently running.

Health and Safety Measures

Disney has already informed us about the many precautions they’ll be taking to keep guests and Cast Members safe. We noticed several new health and safety signs have gone up throughout Downtown Disney.

Guests are also required to provide their own face masks. We saw some Cast Members handing out disposable face masks to a few guests who didn’t have appropriate face coverings, but we highly recommend bringing your own face mask with ear loops — or you could be turned away.

Click here to learn what types of face coverings are accepted at Disney

The new signs remind folks to wear face coverings at all times, wash hands their frequently, and practice social distancing.

Some health and safety notices have also been installed on the light posts, similar to the ones we’ve previously seen at Disney World.

Hand sanitizer stations have been set up throughout the district so that guests may disinfect regularly.

We also saw that some portable sinks have been set up for guests to use.

Temperature Checks

All guests are required to have their temperature taken before entering Downtown Disney. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees and above will be asked to leave, along with the rest of their party.

Bag Check

After passing through the temperature check, guests will be required to have their bags screened and pass through the metal detectors. Plexiglass barriers have installed between guests and Security Cast Members who are conducting the bag checks.

Shopping

World of Disney

Select retail locations (including World of Disney!) have reopened with new health and safety procedures in place. Stores have a limited capacity, so once they’re full, guests must wait outside while practicing social distancing.

Just like we’ve experienced at Disney World, several Disney-owned shops have a virtual queue system they can activate if the line is too long. You’ll still have to wait in line to give Cast Members your name and number, but they’ll contact you when it’s time to return to the store and do your shopping. Most stores now have a dedicated entrance and exit as well.

At World of Disney’s check out, we noticed social distancing markers have been placed in their queue area.

Plexiglass barriers have been installed at each cash register and contactless forms of payment are being highly encouraged.

We spotted this amazing display of the new Disneyland Resort 65th-Anniversary merch which we’ll be back to tell you more about in a little bit! It’s such a gorgeous collection and we can’t wait to show you more pics of it!

Meanwhile, we noticed a few more shops have reopened including Disney Home which had a bit of a line.

Curl Surf Shop has also reopened for all your surfer needs.

The Dress Shop is also welcoming back guests and plexiglass shields have been installed at their cash registers.

And right next door, Marceline’s Confectionery was pretty bumping! This was the longest we had to wait to enter a store yesterday.

In fact, Marceline’s Confectionery was busy enough for Cast Members to utilize its virtual queue to keep a crowd from forming outside. We put in our name and number and roamed around Downtown Disney until we were notified to return to the entrance. There was also the option to wait in a standby socially distanced line.

Marceline’s Confectionery is rather small, so only three parties are permitted inside at one time.

A few varieties of treats were available including cookies, candy apples, marshmallow wands, and other goodies, but the number of offerings was significantly fewer. They DID have Churro Toffee, but supplies might be limited!

Some of the treats were already packaged…

…and some were being packaged inside the store like these Minnie Krispy Treats. To us, it appeared nothing was being made fresh inside the store while guests were there. We’ll keep on eye on this.

The bakery case was stocked up with goodies — although noticeably fewer.

If you don’t see your favorite type of treat just yet, don’t worry. We’re sure they’ll return someday when things are more normal. For now, you might want to get to Marceline’s Confectionery early to head off the crowds and have the best selection. All items in the bakery case are now individually wrapped.

They had plenty of Stitch Extreme Sours in stock and were also selling Disney cloth face masks which we’ve seen online and at Disney World before.

The Goofy Sour Candy Straw stand that used to be located in this spot has also been removed.

Plexiglass shields have also been installed at Marceline’s Confectionery’s cash registers as well. We were still able to use our Disneyland AP discount.

Dining

California recently enforced a new mandate that requires indoor dining locations to close in 19 counties, including Orange County, where Disneyland Resort is located. A few Downtown Disney dining locations that offer outdoor seating or to-go orders have been able to open though.

Earl of Sandwich

We noticed a few restaurants have reopened at Downtown Disney including Earl of Sandwich.

Plexiglass barriers have been installed around Earl of Sandwich’s counter.

Grab and go bottled drinks and snacks are available for guests to pick out on their own.

They had lots of bags of chips and we found out you can still get fountain drinks. A Disneyland Cast Member will fill your cup for you and refills are still available.

When it’s time to dine, guests can sit out on their outdoor patio. There are no big communal tables and tables have been spread apart.

Salt & Straw

We also stopped by Salt & Straw for some dessert. There were two options for ordering here — wait in a socially distanced line or order and pay using your phone and they will bring your ice cream out to you!

They had a QR code outside you could scan with your phone to place your order.

We decided to go inside to order. Only four parties are being allowed inside at one time. You’re directed to a taped rectangle on the ground and there are currently no samples. Seating is available outside.

We got their seasonal flavor, Birthday Cake & Blackberries flavor from the summer Berries, Berries, Berries series and it was delicious!

Catal Restaurant will be reopening soon, but Uva Bar is now open.

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes had their window open, but the restaurant was still closed yesterday.

Splitsville isn’t open yet, but folks are permitted to sit outside on their patio.

Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen is still currently closed.

The updated Jamba is now open and had a little bit of a crowd outside.

Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria’s patio is also open.

California Churro cart is also open.

Overall, we had a great experience at Downtown Disney yesterday. Cast Members were very welcoming and were thanking guests for coming. The crowds felt manageable and guests seemed to be following the rules. But do keep in mind this was a Cast Member preview, so our experience today will be more telling.

We’ll continue our live reporting from Downtown Disney is just a little bit and let you know what the crowds are like now that the district has reopened to the general public, so stay tuned for more updates!

Will you be heading to Downtown Disney this week? Let us know in the comments below.

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, disney merchandise, Disney News, Disneyland, Disneyland Column, Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney Anaheim, Featured, 65th anniversary collection, dining outdoors, Disneyland Park, Downtown Disney, Earl of Sandwich, grand reopening, health and safety, july 9th, limited capacity, marceline’s confectionery, reopening, restaurants, restraurants, retail locations, shopping, social distancing, stores, temp checks, World of Disney