Do you travel to Walt Disney World (or anywhere else) via airplane?
Beginning on October 1, 2021, every airline passenger age 18 and older will be required to have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, state-issued enhanced driver’s license (available in Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, and New York), or another acceptable form of ID (such as a passport) to fly within the United States.
The deadline for enforcement of this law has changed a few times due to the pandemic and other circumstances, but the now final deadline is coming up later this year. Passengers without REAL ID-compliant documents will not be allowed to travel within the US on an airplane.
REAL ID-compliant drivers license or state ID cards for most states are marked with a star at the top of the card. Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, and New York states issue REAL ID cards (marked with the star) as well as state-issued enhanced driver’s licenses (marked with a flag), both of which are acceptable. These documents will be valid at the airport security checkpoint when the REAL ID enforcement goes into effect.
For information by state, including where to obtain a REAL ID, visit the DHS REAL ID website and click your state on the map.
Chef Todd is back with his picks for what you should try at the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, which begins Friday, January 8.
The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts holds a special place in my heart. When it was introduced in 2017, some of my culinary school mates and I decided to have a mini reunion in Disney bracketed around opening day. We all thought that the concept of ‘food as art’ was a natural theme for a party. The addition of traveling artists displaying their wares could only enhance the upscale feel of the event. It turns out we were right, and the memories we created were magical. The debut of this fest was also my first assignment as a guest blogger for this fine site. I tasted and re-tasted, wrote and re-wrote. I was bound and determined that my initial submission would set a new standard for future food critics to aspire to. Please don’t go back and read it. It was barely north of terrible. But, after a few years of honing my craft, I like to feel that my writing skills have improved to somewhere between tolerable and marginal.
So, do I have you fired up? Are you super excited to read on?
Due to the relatively short run of Festival of the Arts, and the fact that I am unable to attend the opener, I was asked to preview some of my favorite returning items. There are quite a few this year, but I’m okay with a little redundancy. During these unprecedented times (ugh), food outlets all over the world are doing whatever they can to keep the gears turning. I totally understand. Let’s start like I always do, in France and Morocco, at exactly 11 o’clock.
You can see the full list of foods that will be available here.
FRANCE
Crème de Brie en Petit Pain: Gooey melty brie in an adorable mini bread bowl. Perfect for sharing. Excellent beginning.
NEW: The Black Truffle Croissant sounds like a dream I once had. If you try this, please text me and describe it in glorious detail. Ten Cheffy points for pictures.
MOROCCO
Mediterranean Flatbread: Keep an eye on this one. Look at a few before you commit. The flatbreads in Morocco are usually stellar, but mine was a little sparse last time.
NEW: Rack of Lamb should be a no-brainer.
JAPAN
Vegetable Gyoza was one of my top picks last year. Deep-fried edamame dumplings oddly paired with truffle mashers. Those taters were one of my best single bites. Excellent choice.
Sushi Donut is a bloggers dream. Prettiest dish on the promenade. Tons of fresh seafood make it worth the purchase.
AMERICAN ADVENTURE
Beef Wellington. Tasty little puff pastry wrapped tenderloin. Bourdelaise was a classic winner. Disregard the well-done beef, and enjoy.
Pan-seared Scallop was a huge hit. I am a sucker for anything scallop, so I say…get it!
GERMANY
Braised Short Ribs were one of my top beef dishes from any festival. Perfect texture, and a lip-smacking touch of gelatin. Yes.
NEW: While not very German, Coq au Vin is borrowed from another fest, but I liked it quite a bit then.
POP EATS
Gotta try the iconic Frangipane Cake. That is a multi-colored checkerboard of goodness.
NEW: The Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup should probably be on your list.
CANADA
Last year’s Mushroom Risotto was one of the worst dishes I have had at any festival. The year before, it was my top play. Just goes to show how treacherous risotto can be. Probably a pass at over 9 bucks.
There are a number of new concepts I am intrigued by, besides the ones I have already mentioned. PAINTER’S PALATE, for example, is offering a prime steak tartare. Yes, please. I’d try that beet tartare as well. A new kitchen, VIBRANT AND VIVIDO, has a chilled seafood cocktail that sounds a lot like a recent winner from Spain. THE PAINTED PANDA (China) has a menu that is right in my wheelhouse. Pork and water chestnut meatballs and Sichuan shrimp. Sign me up.
For those of you who are lucky enough to experience this party, I will try to curtail my jealousy. It is truly a feast for the palate, as well as the eyes. I hope my notes will help you streamline your touring plans a little bit. Please enjoy. I look forward to seeing you all in March for the Flower and Garden opener. Ciao for now.
Chef Todd is an erstwhile chef and current Disney food aficionado. He hopes that his back-of-the-house knowledge comes through in his reviews, and helps you better plan your Disney dining experience. You can also find him on Instagram and Twitter@cheftodd55, or join his Facebook group Chef Todd Eats Disney.
What a day it was yesterday to visit EPCOT. Ivonne on our team park hopped from Animal Kingdom to EPCOT for the evening. Both parks had fairly quiet days, but EPCOT was practically empty compared to how it was over the holidays. But it is more interesting that the Donald Duck animatronic is gone from the finale scene aboard Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros.
Donald is Missing at Gran Fiesta Tour
It’d be one thing if Donald Duck animatronic just wasn’t there. It’s another thing entirely that he is currently replaced with a bush. It’s an entire level of hilarity that said bush is topped with a sombrero.
Now, before we journey further into EPCOT let’s go back to how the day started at Animal Kingdom. The weather was lovely and it wasn’t very busy. January right after the holidays truly is one of the best times to visit if you want to avoid crowds. Of course, you can check our Crowd Calendar to find the perfect time for your visit.
Despite the missing duck, EPCOT is nearly ready for the Festival of the Arts to begin. We spotted photo opportunities ready for socially distant guests and signage on the Studio Kitchens as they get ready to dish out colorful and creative food. The photo background at the center of Future World has a delightful neon motif this year.
Festival of the Arts 2021 Photo BackdropFestival of the Arts 2021 Photo BackdropFestival of the Arts 2021 Photo OpFestival of the Arts 2021 Photo OpFestival of the Arts 2021 Studio KitchenFestival of the Arts 2021 Studio KitchenFestival of the Arts 2021 Studio Kitchen
And to show how empty it is in EPCOT right now let’s look a picture from yesterday, and then a picture from one week ago, December 30, 2020.
EPCOT Practically Empty – January 5, 2021Mexico Pavilion afternoon of 12-30-2020
What do you think about missing Donald Duck and the sombrero wearing plant? Are you excited for Festival of the Arts?
Although the holiday crowds have dwindled, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is having some high wait times. Today’s average wait times at Hollywood Studios rank at number 2 out of the past 30 days. There are two causes: Rise of the Resistance is having a bumpy day of operations, but also Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has been unexpectedly not functioning for the past few days. The rest of the Walt Disney World parks are having fairly low posted wait times, with EPCOT having some of the lowest wait times of the past 30 days.
We received 148 actual wait times from our Lines app users today – thank you, Liners! Let’s dive in!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Wait Times
What a rough day! It can be assumed that today’s high wait times aren’t due to large crowds so much, but rather to the operational issues at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Rise of the Resistance. The issues at Rise also caused Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run to have an average wait time today of 83 minutes. Its 7-day average is 76 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 68 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 59 minutes, so today ranks #26 for the past year.
You can see that after 2:00 p.m. when park hopping to other parks became an option that wait times in Hollywood Studios start to decline.
Hollywood Studios Wait Times for Tuesday, January, 5, 2021
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue had an average wait time today of 44 minutes. Its 7-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 36 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 44% of the posted wait time.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror had an average wait time today of 80 minutes. Its 7-day average is 74 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 65 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. We received 9 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 86% of the posted wait time, which means the actual wait time was around 68 minutes.
Toy Story Mania! had an average wait time today of 39 minutes. Its 7-day average is 39 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #4 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 35 minutes, so today ranks #73 for the past year. We received 8 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 60% of the posted wait time.
Slinky Dog Dash had an average wait time today of 74 minutes. Its 7-day average is 76 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 65 minutes, so today ranks #6 for the past month. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 72% of the posted wait time.
Alien Swirling Saucers had an average wait time today of 32 minutes. Its 7-day average is 32 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #11 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #68 for the past year.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway had an average wait time today of 66 minutes. Its 7-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 47 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 65 minutes, so today ranks #82 for the past year. We received 10 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 62% of the posted wait time.
Rise of the Resistance started boarding groups slightly later than normal. Then there was a gap in operations around 11:30 a.m. It has been running behind pace of the past 7 days.
Magic Kingdom Wait Times
Today was still a relatively busy day at Magic Kingdom, cracking the top 10 of the past 30 days. There is an uptick in the average posted wait times at 3:00 p.m. and onward indicating Magic Kingdom’s popular hop over to once Park Hopper Hours kick in at 2:00 p.m.
Magic Kingdom Wait Times for Tuesday, January, 5, 2021
Astro Orbiter had an average wait time today of 42 minutes. Its 7-day average is 41 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 40 minutes, so today ranks #13 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #23 for the past year.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin had an average wait time today of 40 minutes. Its 7-day average is 42 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 42 minutes, so today ranks #19 for the past month. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 52% of the posted wait time, which means the actual wait times on average were around 23 minutes.
“it’s a small world” had an average wait time today of 49 minutes. Its 7-day average is 46 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 46 minutes, so today ranks #9 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 35 minutes, so today ranks #15 for the past year.
Jungle Cruise had an average wait time today of 48 minutes. Its 7-day average is 50 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #12 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #91 for the past year.
Space Mountain had an average wait time today of 68 minutes. Its 7-day average is 65 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 57 minutes, so today ranks #7 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 51 minutes, so today ranks #71 for the past year.
Splash Mountain had an average wait time today of 64 minutes. Its 7-day average is 72 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 56 minutes, so today ranks #12 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 50% of the posted wait time.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh had an average wait time today of 33 minutes. Its 7-day average is 31 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #5 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 70% of the posted wait time.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had an average wait time today of 86 minutes. Its 7-day average is 88 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 80 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 73 minutes, so today ranks #79 for the past year.
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid had an average wait time today of 32 minutes. Its 7-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #6 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 23 minutes, so today ranks #50 for the past year. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 36% of the posted wait time.
EPCOT Wait Times
If you ever want to feel like you have EPCOT to yourself, visit on the rare days that there isn’t a festival going on. All attractions had some of the lowest posted wait times of the past 7 days, except for Gran Fiesta Tour, and there’s a good reason. It seems Donald Duck is taking the day off, his animatronic at the finale scene has been removed. As word spread across the internet Disney bloggers (guilty!) flocked to see the lack of Donald for themselves.
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros had an average wait time today of 13 minutes. Its 7-day average is 13 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 11 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 10 minutes, so today ranks #52 for the past year.
EPCOT Wait Times for Tuesday, January, 5, 2021
Journey Into Imagination With Figment had an average wait time today of 10 minutes. Its 7-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 15 minutes, so today ranks #167 for the past year.
Soarin’ had an average wait time today of 29 minutes. Its 7-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 50 minutes, so today ranks #28 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 37 minutes, so today ranks #155 for the past year. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 63% of the posted wait time.
Spaceship Earth had an average wait time today of 15 minutes. Its 7-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #27 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 19 minutes, so today ranks #149 for the past year.
Test Track had an average wait time today of 62 minutes. Its 7-day average is 94 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 74 minutes, so today ranks #23 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 68% of the posted wait time.
Frozen Ever After had an average wait time today of 19 minutes. Its 7-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 56 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 86% of the posted wait time.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Wait Times
It was a pleasant day to be in Animal Kingdom today, in fact, our field team was there today. Kali River Rapids began its refurbishment yesterday and will unavailable for a little while, which is fine because by Florida standards it is chilly right now.
Animal Kingdom Wait Times for Tuesday, January, 5, 2021
DINOSAUR had an average wait time today of 50 minutes. Its 7-day average is 59 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 47 minutes, so today ranks #12 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #55 for the past year.
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain had an average wait time today of 34 minutes. Its 7-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. We received 7 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 48% of the posted wait time.
Kilimanjaro Safaris had an average wait time today of 18 minutes. Its 7-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 28 minutes, so today ranks #23 for the past month. We received 8 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 72% of the posted wait time.
It’s Tough to Be a Bug! had an average wait time today of 23 minutes. Its 7-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #14 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 14 minutes, so today ranks #27 for the past year.
Na’vi River Journey had an average wait time today of 68 minutes. Its 7-day average is 80 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 64 minutes, so today ranks #11 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 53 minutes, so today ranks #76 for the past year.
Avatar Flight of Passage had an average wait time today of 60 minutes. Its 7-day average is 91 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 71 minutes, so today ranks #21 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 77 minutes, so today ranks #129 for the past year. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 67% of the posted wait time.
Let’s wrap up with a handful of photos from Animal Kingdom today.
With the grand opening of Galaxy’s Edge, Docking Bay 7 quickly rose to top of the charts for quick service dining in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Ranked above average at #38 out of 106 quick service locations at Walt Disney World, Docking Bay 7 combines familiar foods with unique twists and Star Wars-inspired names.
First thing you’ll notice about this dish is that you aren’t seeing cabbage slaw or a blueberry corn muffin on that dish. That’s because the mobile ordering through MyDisneyExperience allows you to customize the sides for your dish. This is the macaroni and cheese with vegetables option.
The ribs itself was a huge portion, which is a good thing. One thing that was surprising because it is not mentioned in the description is that the sauce on the ribs has quite a kick to it. Even though we’re not averse to a bit of heat to a meal, this was almost too spicy to eat for our tender tastebuds.
Batuuan Beef Pot Roast: Braised Beef Pot Roast, Cavatelli Pasta, Wilted Kale, Mushrooms ($18.99)
For this dish, we oped for the vegetable mashed potatoes (because let’s face it, mashed potatoes belong with pot roast). The “vegetable mashed potatoes” means that it is more like the texture of cauliflower mashed potatoes, with vegetable mash mixed in with the potato mash, but it still went well with the incredibly fork-tender pot roast. It’s just fall apart deliciousness and one of our favorite things to order.
Batuu-bon: Chocolate Cake, White Chocolate Mousse, Coffee Custard ($6.99)
This dessert is simply gorgeous, and unless you’re getting it just for pictures, it is one we’d pass on. The coffee flavor wasn’t present at all, the chocolate shell was hard to crack through, and the chocolate cake was on the dry side. There’s plenty of other treats to find in Hollywood Studios, so we’d suggest skipping this for something else.
Even with its limited menu, Docking Bay 7 still provides good options for a solid meal.
Are you a fan of the food at Docking Bay 7? Do you have a favorite? Let us know in the comments.
