A Blog About Disney Stuff

A small bit of DCL news dropped today with dates for sailings in late April and May 2022 for the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream. No huge surprises for these — the Dream will be bouncing between 3-night and 4-night sailings to Nassau and Castaway Cay, and the Fantasy will be alternating on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

In addition, guests booked on the June 28, 2021 9-night Alaska Disney Wonder sailing are eligible for a 10% discount when booking the a 7-night replacement cruise from June 28-July 5, 2021. Guests booked on the July 22, 2021 9-night Southern Caribbean on the Fantasy can book with a 10% discount for a 3-night Bahamas cruise (July 22-25, 2021), a 6-night Western Caribbean (July 25-July 31) or both.

For more information, contact your Disney travel agent. Need a Disney travel agent? May we suggest the TouringPlans travel agency.

The post Disney Cruise Line Itineraries for April and May 2022 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Disney Cruise Line, disney cruise line

Sometimes it is fun to just take it all in while you’re at Walt Disney World. Recently, we spent an afternoon wandering around Magic Kingdom, and it was simply beautiful. Here’s some of what we saw to brighten your day.

The post Marvelous Magic Kingdom Afternoon appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World (FL), in the parks

The Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT has a special history, and has always offered an in-depth look at Moroccan culture. Now, things are changing, and we are hoping that culture immersion is not lost. This weekend we witnessed some changes now in place, and if you’re familiar with this pavilion, things are noticeably different.

The Morocco Pavilion was originally funded by the Kingdom of Morocco, and its design was managed by the kingdom. Each World Showcase pavilion received funding or at least approval from the respective country, particularly their tourism board, council, or other similar organization. The Morocco Pavilion, however, was the only one to have such a deal in which the country itself funded the entire pavilion and was so heavily involved in its development. This also meant that the entire pavilion was operated by a third party, and not Walt Disney World. In October a joint statement was released by Jacquee Wahler, VP Communications Walt Disney World Resort, and Rashid Choufani and Rachid Lyazidi, Operating Participants Morocco Pavilion:

“After many years of working together, we have a mutually agreed arrangement to begin the process of transitioning operations of the Morocco pavilion to Disney. By the end of the year, Disney will assume operations of this important part of EPCOT and under Disney’s operation, the pavilion will continue to honor the rich traditions and legacy it has since it opened.”

That last sentence is pretty important. Now that some changes have been implemented we can see, and judge, for ourselves as to if the “rich traditions and legacy” are being maintained. Let’s take a look at photos we captured this weekend. The big, noticeable difference so far is the merchandise.

The amount of merchandise in the shop at the front of the pavilion, as well as the marketplace, is now reduced. Although there is a good amount of merchandise that is culturally inspired, there is now Disney character merchandise, namely featuring characters from Aladdin. This issue with this is the animated film takes place in the fictional kingdom of Agrabah. Then again, looking over at the Norway Pavilion, Arendelle isn’t a real place either. At this point anything goes. Maybe we’ll soon see pavilion themed merchandise designed by Disney similar to what many of the other pavilions like Germany, Italy, and France have for sale.

One of the great features in many of the World Showcase pavilions is the ability to explore a museum. These museums have great exhibits that change fairly often. The Morocco Pavilion has such a museum, and it currently remains open. Here’s hoping it stays that way. It is important to note that the Moroccan Embassy and Morocco Tourism Board are still involved in the Morocco Pavilion, similar to other World Showcase pavilions.

Disney has assumed management of the food and beverage operations in this pavilion. Spice Road Table reopened with a new menu, with small plates only and specialty beverages. Stay tuned for a review about the new menu. Currently Spice Road Table is the only food and beverage restaurant open in the pavilion. Tangerine Café and Restaurant Marrakesh remain temporarily closed.

Have you ever explored the Morocco Pavilion? What do you think of these changes?

 

The post PHOTOS – Changes Have Arrived to EPCOT’s Morocco Pavilion appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Attractions, Epcot, News, Observations, epcot attractions, Epcot World Showcase

A well-prepared meal with thoughtful wine pairings and impeccable service can satisfy you like nothing else can. Wine Bar George is one of the greatest assets of Disney Springs. Although it has been open for two years now, there are plenty of folks still discovering this place for the first time. Let’s take a look at what makes Wine Bar George so special.

Wine Bar George Atmosphere and Service

The service at Wine Bar George is truly special. Each server is well versed in the best wines to suit your tastes, and your budget. Any wine is available by the ounce, which is perfect if you want to try something new, or indulge in an expensive wine without going all in.  Besides providing helpful recommendations on wine, you’re sure to experience attentive service that will help you make the most of your meal.

Chrissy on our team got to experience this service for herself this week. Her server went a step further by providing recommendations on the best way to actually eat some of the food. More on that later. What permeates throughout the service is the hospitality from George Miliotes – owner and Master Sommelier.

Any time I have dined here, George has been there. He greets guests, he helps his team–the pride he takes in his business is inspiring. When my toddler was just a few months old we had a family meal there. I will never forget how sweet it was to see George stop by our table, smiling and waving at our little baby.

Sure enough, when our team visited George was there. He gladly stopped by and chatted about his business, his team, and the passion he had to build a menu that pairs perfectly with wine, along with craft cocktails and beer. He worked closely with his chef to ensure each dish offered quality, yet could still be affordable for families enjoying Walt Disney World.

There is a beautiful bar downstairs, with high-top-style tables around the perimeter. The main dining room is upstairs. There’s a lovely balcony upstairs as well, that overlooks Disney Springs and even has glimpses of the lake.

Cocktails and Drinks

Naturally, you can sip delicious wine until your heart’s content. But, don’t overlook the cocktails and drinks here either. The Hoot is one of the newest cocktails made with Hooten Whiskey with Ginger Beer and Crème De Cassis. It’s lovely looking drink and has a nice bite to it thanks to the ginger beer. The Hooten Whiskey is aged for 12 years, making it smooth and mellow.

Disney fans will love the Frozcato, which is Moscato wine, vodka, and Dole Whip. If only Wine Bar George could open a kiosk in Magic Kingdom and sell these to help guests deal with long lines. This is a great afternoon drink as it is not too strong, and not too sweet.

Another refreshing afternoon drink is the Frosé. Frozen rosé has become quite popular in the last few years. Our team really enjoyed this one because it was not too sweet or syrupy.

Small Plates

The bulk of the menu at Wine Bar George is made of small plates, meant to share and to help you explore how different flavors pair with wine. There are a few entrees served family style. And during special occasions and holidays a few special entrees are often added.

• Chicken Skewers – These skewers are seasoned with togarashi which is Japanese chili spice blend that isn’t overly hot. The chicken had a nice crust and was juicy and flavorful. Be sure to make use of the lime, after all, everything that is on the plate is there for a reason.
• Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites – As indulgent as they sound, perfect with a rich red wine. Imagine yourself eating mac and cheese bites with your alcoholic Dole Whip on the balcony while Santa floats by on his pontoon boat.
• Saganaki On Fire – Clearly if you want to make a statement during your meal this is the way to do it. A squeeze of lemon at the end of this flaming cheese being delivered to your table is part of the dramatic presentation, but it also brightens the dish. Although it is a must to enjoy while it is still hot, our team actually found it to be more delicious once it had cooled.

• Iberico Pork Pluma – Iberico Pork comes from a special breed of pig, originating in Spain. It is one the most loved proteins to pair with a Spanish wine. Here the Iberico Pork Pluma was tender and perfectly cooked. The blackberry coulis is sweet and wonderful this time of year. This is not Mom’s pork chop – it’s not cooked until it could break a window. It was tender enough to be cut with a fork. The presentation was just lovely; this dish would impress even the most discerning diner.
• Charcuterie Board – Who can resist a beautiful board full of meat when visiting a wine bar? Let’s start by addressing the pork pate. Pate can be an imposing thing, but Wine Bar George serves a version that is approachable and tasty. It had a nice pepper crust, too. The pickled vegetables, pepper chutney, and whole grain mustard add a nice tang to the salty, savory meat. The mortadella and the calabrese salami is a Charcuterie Board classic, but much higher quality than found on your typical grocery store deli platter.

Desserts

After indulging in all that beautiful paired food and drink, it can be hard to think about dessert. But you would miss out big time if you skipped out on the last course.

•  Key Lime Pie – You can seriously get key lime pie anywhere throughout Florida. Here at Wine Bar George a different interpretation is offered. It had a custard like texture, with a good amount of tartness. The serving size can appear small, but it is quite filling thanks to its denseness.
• Olive Oil Cake – You know that moment in the movie Ratatouille when Ego the food critic has one bite of the ratatouille and is instantly transported to his childhood? That’s what happened to Chrissy. Anyone with a favorite Italian Grandma who used to make this cake needs to order this Olive Oil Cake without any hesitation. There’s nothing I can add to Chrissy’s heartfelt words, “I quickly teared up because the smell and taste put me right back into her tiny kitchen at Christmas. It made such an impression on me that this was the dish I decided to ask George about when we met him downstairs. I asked him if it was his idea or if it came from his Chef. He said that he had a very specific idea of what he wanted for this cake so he and Chef worked on it closely. Truly. Anyone with an Italian Gram that they are missing needs to have a glass of wine and a plate of this and toast to her memory – which is exactly what I did.”

One of the most unique experiences offered here, and one that is truly special to Disney Springs, is The Chocolate Experience. All of the chocolate comes from The Ganachery Chocolate Shoppe, just a few doors down. Benjamin, our team’s server, told them to crack the milk chocolate and then touch the broken end to the tip of our tongue to catch the actual flavor, then try the port. It was a magical culinary moment. Then the dark chocolate and the merlot made for another beautiful pairing.

Final Thoughts

We have ratings for every single Walt Disney World restaurant on our site. From over 500,000 surveys, our readers give Wine Bar George a 96% thumbs up rating. And it is ranked number three out of 106 table service restaurants at Walt Disney World.

When you walk into Wine Bar George you will surely feel like you’re doing something special when you come in the door. The music is upbeat, but still relaxing. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and yet a little elegant. Whether you want to splurge and go for an extravagant experience, or just relax with one drink, you will be welcomed.

This location is one of a few Disney Springs locations that you can book through OpenTable. We recommend doing so, as OpenTable’s availability is updated more frequently. And the cancellation policy is not as strict as through Disney’s system. Brunch is a great option as well. Which reminds me, I need to call dibs on that meal for the next writing assignment.

Have you ever been to Wine Bar George? How was your experience?

 

The post REVIEW – Wine Bar George is the Best Disney Restaurant for a Special Meal appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Adults, Dining, Disney Springs, Trip Planning, disney dining, disney drinking, disney springs best restaurant, disney springs dining, disney wine

The holiday crowds are start to arrive, and although each park is at reduced capacity, we’re seeing some hefty wait times. We received 194 actual wait times today from our Lines app users. Thank you, Liners! Overall Disney’s posted wait times were fairly accurate at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. But Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT had posted wait times that were largely inflated compare to the actual wait times observed. Let’s take a closer look.

Magic Kingdom Wait Times

At Magic Kingdom today our team observed only 7 out of 500 guests that were not wearing their masks in accordance with Disney’s guidelines. Put another way, 98.5% of guests observed wore their masks correctly. All but five attractions had their longest average wait times of the past 7 days. But today was also the busiest day of the past 30 so let’s focus on the attractions that had their highest wait times of the past 30 days. These particular attractions are quite popular with young children, maybe there’s a trend here in terms of the guests that are in the parks this time of year?

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin had an average wait time today of 44 minutes. Its 7-day average is 40 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 38 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 35 minutes, so today ranks #70 for the past year.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant had an average wait time today of 26 minutes. Its 7-day average is 14 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 16 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 21 minutes, so today ranks #67 for the past year.

“it’s a small world” had an average wait time today of 51 minutes. Its 7-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 42 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 34 minutes, so today ranks #11 for the past year.

Mad Tea Party had an average wait time today of 19 minutes. Its 7-day average is 14 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 15 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 15 minutes, so today ranks #54 for the past year. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 80% of the posted wait time.

The Barnstormer had an average wait time today of 33 minutes. Its 7-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 23 minutes, so today ranks #59 for the past year.

Tomorrowland Speedway had an average wait time today of 33 minutes. Its 7-day average is 17 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 17 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 21 minutes, so today ranks #47 for the past year.

And although today wasn’t it’s busiest day, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had an average wait time today of 81 minutes. Its 7-day average is 70 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 72 minutes, so today ranks #5 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 77 minutes, so today ranks #91 for the past year. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 90% of the posted wait time.

Our team was at Magic Kingdom today, come take a look at today’s photos.

EPCOT Wait Times

We saw a steep decline in wait times yesterday and we continue to see a major drop today. Most annual passholders, or rather anyone not at the Platinum level, are blocked out from now until January 3, 2021. This is a big deal because this is the first weekend of the blockout, and it is believed that annual passholders have been filling in major gaps in EPCOT’s attendance. With the dramatic drop in wait times it stands to reason that the blocked out annual passholders are being missed severely at EPCOT.

Journey Into Imagination With Figment had an average wait time today of 17 minutes. Its 7-day average is 16 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #16 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 16 minutes, so today ranks #99 for the past year.

Living with the Land had an average wait time today of 6 minutes. Its 7-day average is 12 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 13 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 14 minutes, so today ranks #240 for the past year.

Soarin’ 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 47 minutes, so today ranks #20 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 38 minutes, so today ranks #105 for the past year.

Spaceship Earth had an average wait time today of 15 minutes. Its 7-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #26 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 21 minutes, so today ranks #149 for the past year.

Test Track had an average wait time today of 64 minutes. Its 7-day average is 64 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 69 minutes, so today ranks #17 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 57 minutes, so today ranks #73 for the past year.

Frozen Ever After had an average wait time today of 33 minutes. Its 7-day average is 63 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 76 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 59 minutes, so today ranks #201 for the past year.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Wait Times

The thing to keep in mind with Hollywood Studios is that wait times are not just about the total attendance in the park, it is all about how well, or not, Rise of the Resistance is performing that day. So let’s start there for a change.

Rise of the Resistance had a decent day, compared to some of the really rough days it had last week. But it still got off to a late start around 9:15 a.m. and it had a slight gap around 11:30 a.m. There was also the short break around 3:30 p.m. that we typically see every day. Couple the mild delays with a very busy park and today ends up having the highest wait times of the past 30 days.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith had an average wait time today of 58 minutes. Its 7-day average is 40 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 45 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 59 minutes, so today ranks #84 for the past year.

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue had an average wait time today of 39 minutes. Its 7-day average is 34 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 28 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #32 for the past year. We received 10 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 37% of the posted wait time.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror had an average wait time today of 78 minutes. Its 7-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 54 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 59 minutes, so today ranks #57 for the past year. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 67% of the posted wait time.

Toy Story Mania! had an average wait time today of 36 minutes. Its 7-day average is 29 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 39 minutes, so today ranks #90 for the past year. We received 12 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 51% of the posted wait time.

Alien Swirling Saucers had an average wait time today of 35 minutes. Its 7-day average is 29 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #61 for the past year.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run had an average wait time today of 83 minutes. Its 7-day average is 68 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 56 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 61 minutes, so today ranks #38 for the past year. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 98% of the posted wait time.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Wait Times

Animal Kingdom is decently popular with annual passholders, and with the current reservation system, it’s been the old reliable park for last minute park reservations. It would seem the lack of annual passholders is impacting Animal Kingdom too. Today’s wait times rank number 19 out of the past 30 days.

DINOSAUR had an average wait time today of 39 minutes. Its 7-day average is 39 minutes, so today ranks #4 for this week. Its 30-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #18 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 34 minutes, so today ranks #104 for the past year.

Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain had an average wait time today of 28 minutes. Its 7-day average is 22 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 37 minutes, so today ranks #18 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #144 for the past year. We received 9 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 37% of the posted wait time.

Kali River Rapids had an average wait time today of 11 minutes. Its 7-day average is 11 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #20 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #130 for the past year.

Kilimanjaro Safaris had an average wait time today of 10 minutes. Its 7-day average is 21 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #27 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #231 for the past year.

Na’vi River Journey had an average wait time today of 56 minutes. Its 7-day average is 51 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 54 minutes, so today ranks #9 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 56 minutes, so today ranks #101 for the past year.

Avatar Flight of Passage had an average wait time today of 64 minutes. Its 7-day average is 61 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 71 minutes, so today ranks #13 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 86 minutes, so today ranks #122 for the past year. We received 8 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 100% of the posted wait time.

The post Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios Have Their Busiest Day This Month – Disney World Wait Times for Sunday, December 20, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Attractions, Holidays, Trip Planning, disney crowds, disney wait times