Farewell, Halloween 2020, you certainly were the most unique Halloweens of my adulthood. It’s been nice celebrating Halloween at Magic Kingdom for well over a month. But yesterday marked the end of Halloween at Walt Disney World, and some of the holiday season has started to sprinkle in. Our field research team, and Len himself, were at Magic Kingdom yesterday and we’d like to share with you some of our favorite photos from yesterday’s visit.
We loved having the Cadaver Dans performing what is normally their show reserved for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in recent weeks. It’s been a real treat. And it’s been fun seeing guests wear costumes during the day. Yesterday was the last day costumes could be worn by guests at Magic Kingdom and boy did we see some great costumes! But first, Len needs his traditional pretzel breakfast!
Len and His Traditional Pretzel Breakfast2020 Dumpster Fire Costumes by KellyKillPackMadam Leota Costume by MissVYG
It was a little slow in the morning at Magic Kingdom, but as soon as lunch time hit we saw the crowds we’ve been expecting this weekend. We also saw the arrival of poinsettias in Main Street Town Square as Christmas décor gets ready to move in.
Magic Kingdom on Halloween 2020Pirates of the Caribbean Extended Queue Halloween 2020Big Thunder Mountain on Halloween 2020Poinsettias Moving in on Halloween 2020
Which holiday season do you like the best, Spooky Season or the Christmas and Winter Holiday Season?
From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Halloween, In the Parks, Walt Disney World (FL), disney crowds, disney halloween, disney halloween costumes
To say that right now is a tough time for Orlando’s hospitality professionals is an understatement. And for those that are still able to work in Orlando’s theme parks, it can be very difficult to keep going when so many of your colleagues are no longer working. And so, in the spirit of gratitude as we begin the month of November, the month of Thanksgiving, we’d like to share some ways you can show your appreciation for any Cast Members who help make your trip to Walt Disney World a magical one.
Guest Relations
Each Walt Disney World park, as well as Disney Springs, has a Guest Relations location, generally near the front of the park. You can think of it as the front desk of the park. Many times Guest Relations Cast Members are fielding complaints and problem solving. It usually brightens a Guest Relations Cast Member’s day when someone wants to give praise for one of their colleagues in the park. Usually the Guest Relations Cast Member will fill out a form so that the Cast Member you are praising can receive formal recognition. Many times this form is noted on the Cast Member’s record which can help them in their career with Disney. If the line is too long at Guest Relations there are alternative ways to give recognition.
Guest Services “Welcome Center” at Disney Springs
Email Guest Communications
As big as Walt Disney World is, they provide multiple ways to get in contact with them. Sending an email to the Guest Communications team is a great way to formalize your feedback. You can imagine this department receives a ton of communication on a daily basis. I have had success reaching out using the email address for Guest Communications, but naturally it does take quite a few business days to hear back. Not every email is responded to, it does depend on the nature of the message. Cast Member recognition is very important and Cast Members are formally praised when an email is received about their kindness or performance.
The email for Walt Disney World Guest Communications is wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com. My understanding is this team has unfortunately been reduced as part of the labor cutbacks. If you are able to visit Guest Relations in person that is the ideal way to ensure your praise is formally received.
Magic Kingdom Reopening Be Our Guest Dining July 2020
Sending a Cast Compliment Via Twitter Is No Longer Supported
Many people use Twitter to voice their complaints, especially about airlines. (My heart goes out to social media managers for airlines.) Once upon a time you could give a quick shout out to a Cast Member and tweet to @WDWGuestService with #CastCompliment. Sadly, this account closed up shop months ago. You can still tweet @WaltDisneyWorld, but the formal Cast Member recognition through Twitter is no longer supported. It makes sense to save labor costs, but it’s a shame to lose one of the nicer things about social media.
Bring Your Own Small “Thank You” Sign
When I was a Cast Member a few families over the years gave me a small card to say “thank you”. Many were the size of business cards and had been personalized with messages like “Thanks for spreading the magic, The Smith Family” or “Thanks for making our day a magical one, The Jones Family.” Sadly, it is hard to recommend giving out such cards right now given the importance of physical distancing.
Instead of having individual thank you cards to give out, consider making a small sign. Many Cast Members are welding small paddle-like signs as a reminder to wear your mask properly and so on. Maybe return the favor and make your own paddle sign that’s easy to carry so you can hold it up quickly anytime you want to wish to thank a Cast Member. Get a little creative and think about what you’d want to see as a thank you or word of encouragement if you were a Cast Member in the parks.
Magic Kingdom Reopening Jungle Cruise Plexiglass Ride Vehicle July 2020
A Verbal “Thank You”
A simple and heartfelt “thank you” said to a Cast Member with a smile goes a long way. Times are tough for everyone right now and even a simple “thank you” can help brighten a Cast Member’s day. And chances are the more you dish out the thanks the better you’ll feel. Even a head nod and a wave helps too.
Final Thoughts
Be sure to include their name, and hometown if you catch it, as listed on their name tag, and their work location when submitting a thank you to Disney.
If you have a concern or a challenge, ask for a member of Disney management. It is usually best to give them a chance to right a wrong immediately rather than waiting to write a formal letter, tweet, etc.
Most important of all, the best way you can thank a Cast Member right now is to follow all the COVID-19 safety precautions. Wear your mask properly, especially when talking to a Cast Member.
Has a Cast Member ever helped to make your Disney vacation more magical? What are your suggestions for ways to thank a Cast Member?
For your consideration, we present Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant’s brunch as one of the best values at Walt Disney World. When you consider that there are few character breakfast options available right now, and charge about $42 per person, and compare that to the live music that is offered at Raglan Road, with regular menu pricing, there is a great value here. Raglan Road is one of the most iconic places at Disney Springs, standing proud in The Landing section.
The brunch menu at Raglan Road is one the most indulgent of any menu at Walt Disney World. The dining experience starts with Stout Brown Bread served with Apple Butter; it’s hard to resist filling up on it. Our team ordered a nice assortment of sweet and savory items.
Pork Hash Tagged – Braised Pork Belly, Scallions and Potato Hash, Topped with Two Fried Eggs, $16.00
Rack of Heaven – Slow Roasted Guinness Glazed Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, $28.00
Pancakes Diaspora – Homemade Pancakes with Creme Fraiche, Maple Syrup and Mixed Berry Compote, $13.00
Kids’ Gold’N Chicken Meal – 2 Deep Fried Chicken Goujons (strips); Choice of Side, $9.00
The Pork Hash Tagged was the most brunchy item the team dined on; definitely a winner. The Rack of Heaven Ribs had a delicious Guinness glaze and the mashed potatoes were some of the best the team has ever had on Disney property. The pancakes were delightful and affordable, but there are more impressive items on the menu. The Worth the Wait Beef Sandwich was large enough for two people and had hearty, robust flavors. The kids chicken fingers were good, different than the standard Disney chicken fingers or nuggets; the fries were “the bomb” according to our junior field researcher.
Pork Hash Tagged – Raglan Road BrunchPancakes Diaspora at Raglan Road BrunchWorth the Wait Beef Sandwich – Raglan Road Brunch
The delicious brunch fare combined with the bread to start, and an Irish beer or two, and our team was ready to snooze in the booth. Thankfully the lively music and entertainment kept them energized. The tables were spaced out compared to the old days. The staff is diligent about reminding guests not to get up without a mask. Spacing markers are present in the lobby and at the exit.
Raglan Road Dining RoomRaglan Road Dining Room
Our readers give Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant a 93% thumbs up and it is ranked number 11 out of 103 similar full service options at Walt Disney World. That puts it at the top tier, and it is not merely the luck of the Irish that earns Raglan Road such high marks. The food is delicious and high quality, and the atmosphere is hard to beat. Brunch is offered on Saturdays and Sundays, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. It’s hard to choose between brunch here and brunch at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ – both offer some of the best meals on Disney property.
Have you had brunch at Raglan Road before? Where’s your favorite place to brunch at Disney?
From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Disney Springs, brunch at disney, disney brunch, disney springs brunch, raglan road irish pub
Fresh off the hooves of the news that an endangered white male rhino calf was born earlier this week at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, we are thrilled to share a sneak peek of the newborn.
The video below features endearing moments as mother Kendi bonds with her playful, yet-to-be-named baby. He is curious, loves his afternoon naps and has started sparring with his mom.
We hope you enjoy this look at the beauty of nature as much as we did. The young rhino will join the herd at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the coming weeks.
From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort, DAK
The pocket of East Coast states, notably New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have had severe quarantine restrictions in place since early summer.
Under the previous rule, anyone visiting a high-COVID state, such as Florida, and then returning to the New York tri-state area, would have to quarantine for a full two weeks upon their return. For New York area residents, this made travel to Walt Disney World wholly impractical, effectively prohibiting a timely return to work or school after a Disney trip.
Beginning on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, this policy has been overhauled. While New York and environs now continue to discourage travel to hotspots, there is now an alternative to the 14-day quarantine.
The new rules state that all travelers from non-neighboring states planning to stay in New York for more than 24 hours will now be required to quarantine for at least three days and then test negative for COVID-19 and present proof of a negative test before leaving quarantine.
People who choose not to obtain a COVID test will still be required to adhere to the 14-day quarantine.
For many New Yorkers, this will move holiday travel to Walt Disney World back into the realm of possibility.
Will this change in procedures change your winter travel plans? Let us know in the comments.
