A Blog About Disney Stuff

Our team explored the wilds of Disney’s Animal Kingdom earlier this week and we thought it would be a good time to revisit Dinoland U.S.A. and Dino-Rama. This quirky, campy section of Dinoland is criticized for its cheap design, and some of its offerings have been reduced. Let’s take a quick look at a few things that are still worth appreciating in this little land.

The main attraction within Dino-Rama is Primeval Whirl. This whirling twirling “mouse” style coaster has been a hot topic for years. Plagued with maintenance issues, the coaster went from seasonal operation only to potentially being extinct. Currently it is still standing, but it has not operated in quite a while. There are some fun details and silly puns that you can see even though the ride isn’t available.

Another fun part of Dino-Rama is the midway games. These can be a silly use of time and family bonding, but they can also be costly. The new cutesy dinosaur plush prizes are popular. But, despite the popularity of the prizes, Disney has been reducing the amount of games in operation. During our visit this week only Bronto Score – the basketball game, and Comet Crasher were in operation.

If you’re looking for a break, Dino-Rama is a noisy part of the park, but is usually less crowded. Plus, young kids love dinosaurs and this a great spot to share with kids. There are lots of silly details so take a few moments to look around. Dino-Rama and Dinoland U.S.A. may not be a highlight of your vacation, but it can be a fun stop.

Have you explored Dinoland U.S.A. before? What’s your favorite detail?

The post PHOTOS – The Current State of Dino-Rama at Animal Kingdom appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Attractions, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Observations, Trip Planning, animal kingdom attractions, disney dinoland, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The collaboration of your wickedest dreams has arrived! Available now exclusively on Amazon.com the Disney Villains x Heidi Klum Collection features elevated and unexpected sportswear designs inspired by fan favorite Disney Villain characters like Hades, Ursula, Maleficent and The Evil Queen. 

The thoughtfully designed collection was directed by Heidi herself, drawing on her extensive background in high-fashion and love of Disney Villain characters. Throughout the design process, Heidi masterfully integrated the bold graphic aesthetic of emerging streetwear trends with key story elements unique to the Disney Villain characters, ultimately creating a chic and chilling collection fit for the villainous in everyone. 

In describing the collection, Heidi Klum explained “I wanted to create something that felt fashion-forward yet familiar, and through the pairing of contemporary designs with the classic Disney Villain characters, who we’ve grown up loving, I believe the collection reflects just that.” 

From lounging to plotting, the Disney Villains x Heidi Klum Collection has something for all of your most wicked pursuits. The collection includes a number of effortlessly edgy styles, including essential graphic tees, fashion hoodies and tunics, sweatshirts, joggers and a must-have bomber jacket. Design elements including glitchy overlays, glow in the dark effects and distinct front and back graphics featuring distorted imagery convey the sometimes chaotic, always enigmatic, personalities of the Disney Villain characters.

See below for a few stand out styles from the collection, but you should be warned, it may be impossible to choose just one favorite piece! As Ursula in The Little Mermaid said “Life’s full of tough choices, isn’t it?”

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Elevated and comfortable essentials are at the heart of this collection. The Evil Queen and Maleficent Tie-Dye tees overlay on-trend bold graphics and iconic verbiage.

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Do you feel like you’re being watched? This Maleficent Eyes Pullover Fleece and Skinny Sweatpants will have everyone doing double takes and turning green with envy at your comfortable and stylish look. These pieces also feature the distinct yellow sewn-on tag that is on every garment in the capsule. Fun fact – the Disney Villain character eyes is one of Heidi’s favorite graphic elements and hint at the playful and iconic spirit of the collection!  

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Bad never looked so good! This iconic Cast Your Curse Bomber Jacket is the perfect statement piece. With classic appeal and a daring design, the jacket is sure to become an instant staple.

For more information on all things wicked, follow along the Disney Villains Instagram at @disneyvillains!

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized

AristoCrepes at Disney Springs often gets overlooked. But, this little kiosk near the water serves up seasonal treats that are usually great. Two new seasonal treats are getting some attention: Santa’s Crepe and Cherries Jubilee Bubble Waffle. Let’s see which one is on our nice list and which one is on our naughty list.

Santa’s Crepe is a bright red crepe filled with egg nog custard and praline pieces. It is rare that a food that is clearly made “for the ‘gram” actually tastes good too. And sadly that’s the case here. The crepe is supposed to be served cold, which doesn’t sound too appealing, but how else are they going to get the whipped cream to not melt for a few moments so we can all get our glorious photos up on Instagram?

The crepe that our field team was served was actually warm. I asked our brave team what the buckle on the hat was made out of, and I am going to simply paste the response word for word, because there is no way I could improve upon it: “It was a gelatinous plop. I don’t know what it was made of. It slid around a bit because the crepe was warm. It had like a jellied-ish consistency but wasn’t jelly.” My heartfelt thanks to our field team for braving this one; Santa’s Crepe is certainly on our naughty (and yuck) list.

The Cherries Jubilee Bubble Waffle is a little pricey, but definitely worth it. A bubble waffle is topped with vanilla ice cream, cherries jubilee sauce, praline pieces, and whipped cream. The cherries were a little tart, bringing a nice balance to the sweet ice cream and waffle. The serving is large enough to be shared.

There are other, better holiday treats at Disney Springs – might we suggest stopping at Amorette’s for the Chocolate Peppermint Creme Brûlée. But, if you love bubble waffles then AristoCrepes is worth a visit.

The post REVIEW – Santa’s Crepe and Cherries Jubilee Bubble Waffle at AristoCrepes – One’s Naughty, One’s Nice appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Christmas, Disney Springs, Holidays, Snacks, disney christmas, disney springs desserts, disney springs snacks

Visiting a theme park all day can be tiring. And it’s a good idea to take frequent breaks. Each Walt Disney World theme park has designated areas where guests can sit and take off their mask for a little bit. Known as Relaxation Stations, they can be a helpful place during your day. At EPCOT there are three Relaxation Stations. They provide a restful area whether you want to enjoy your snack or drink, or just have a place to sit down for a few minutes. Here’s everything you need to know about the Relaxation Stations at EPCOT.

Location of Relaxation Stations at EPCOT

There are Relaxation Stations at Mission: SPACE, the Norway Pavilion, and the United Kingdom Pavilion. The Norway Pavilion is a rare indoor Relaxation Station, actually located inside Akershus Royal Banquet Hall which is normally a beloved character dining experience. Since Akershus is not operating right now, it is a rare treat to be able to enjoy the castle and fairy tale atmosphere here. Personally, I am not too keen on being indoors, especially without a mask on – not that you have to take your mask off at the Relaxation Station.

The other two are outside. The Mission: SPACE location is in the courtyard area near the attraction, and it is the only option for the front of the park. The United Kingdom location is normally used as seating for Yorkshire County Fish Shop, but now it is a lovely outdoor area with waterside views. Tables have been added around the United Kingdom pavilion to help offset the loss of these dining tables, though you can certainly eat at any Relaxation Station.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Relaxation Stations at EPCOT appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Dos and Don’ts, Epcot, Trip Planning, dining at epcot, disney relaxation stations, epcot reopening

If your taste buds desire a festive meal that breaks from the norm, then the Holiday Turkey Burger at D-Luxe Burger at Disney Springs is for you. Whether you’re completing your holiday shopping or just want to enjoy a merry evening at Disney Springs, grabbing a burger at D-Luxe Burger is a great option. Gourmet, deluxe burgers are the name of the game, and right now the Holiday Turkey Burger should be on your nice list.

We have listings and ratings for all Walt Disney World restaurants on our site and Lines app. Our readers give D-Luxe Burger a 90% thumbs up, a deluxe rating! And it is ranked number 35 out of 107 quick service options at Walt Disney World. This is not your average Disney burger joint, even though it is run by Disney. The menu at D-Luxe Burger has a number of deluxe burgers, the Barbeque Burger and Southern Burger are popular choices, and there is a a plant-based burger as well.

Find a way to save room for dessert because the line up of Gelato Shakes requires your attention and appetite. The one major downside is the burgers are about $11 – $13 and do not come with fries. The fries are meant to be shared and are elevated compared to the standard Disney quick service fries. There is indoor dining and a great porch area for outdoor dining, too. This is also one of the few places at Disney Springs that offers mobile ordering, so take advantage.

Throughout the year you can often find a seasonal burger and shake here. Right now the Holiday Turkey Burger and Eggnog Gelato Shake make the holliest jolliest pair. You certainly need to be someone willing to go way beyond a traditional burger in order to enjoy the Holiday Turkey Burger. A Turkey Burger patty is topped with Bacon-Cranberry Jam, Butternut Squash Risotto Cake, Lettuce, and Tomato. Both the Bacon-Cranberry Jam and the Butternut Squash Risotto Cake elevate this burger to gourmet status, the flavor and quality is high. Our team was tempted to harass the cooks for the recipe of the Butternut Squash Risotto Cake.

With so many places caring about how a shake looks, piling it high with candy and cakes, it’s nice to have a gourmet shake that actually delivers on flavor. The Eggnog Gelato Shake does not have fancy over-the-top garnishes, but its luxurious flavor and creaminess are top notch. It’s blended with Toasted Marshmallow, Caramel, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg.

The Holiday Turkey Burger is $13.49 and the Eggnogg Gelato Shake is $7.49, so the complete experience will cost over $21.00, not including fries.  Our team feels this indulgent meal is worth the price and delivers on quality and portion size.

Have you eaten at D-Luxe Burger before? Do either of these holiday items sound good to you?

The post REVIEW – A Holly Jolly Meal at D-Luxe Burger appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Christmas, Dining, Disney Springs, Holidays, D-Luxe Burger, disney burger, disney springs christmas, disney springs dining