Walt Disney World Resort is home to two distinctly different water parks: Typhoon Lagoon (which opened in 1989) offers a lush, tropical atmosphere, while Blizzard Beach (1995), on the other hand, is an immersive storytelling experience about what happens when a freak blizzard creates a Florida ski resort on the meltdown. It can be hard […]
Walt Disney World
How and when to tip at Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World
One of the many things that makes an Orlando vacation so wonderful is the excellent service offered at Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World Resorts. Often, the service you receive throughout your visit can make or break your vacation – and when you experience excellent service, you may want to reward it by providing a […]
Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, and LEGOLAND close due to COVID-19
The state of affairs surrounding a novel coronavirus and the respiratory disease it causes has been rapidly evolving over the course of the past four months; called COVID-19 (an abbreviation for “coronavirus disease 2019”), it first appeared in China in December 2019, most likely at the Huanan seafood and live animal market in Wuhan, and […]
Review: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
There are two ways to look at Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. On the one hand, it’s the new flagship attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, replacing The Great Movie Ride after its 28-year run at the heart of the park. This makes it the capstone of a six-year-long overhaul project at Hollywood Studios, which has […]
First look: Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life
When Cirque du Soleil announced that it was ending its famous La Nouba show at Walt Disney World Resort after 19 years (and 9,000 performances!) back in December 2017, many were left scratching their heads and wondering what could possibly be next; a nearly-two-decade run would, of course, necessitate a refresh of some sort, but […]
How to save time with Disney’s mobile order
Time is precious, and vacation time is even more so. Orlando’s theme parks have made strides to help their guests save time, and both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resorts have a great tool to do so when it comes to eating: mobile ordering. In fact, Disney pioneered this experience and has lead the way […]
The best places for desserts in Orlando
An Orlando vacation is sweet enough on its own, but you can make your trip even sweeter by indulging in the best desserts throughout the City Beautiful. Inside the theme parks and in local spots throughout Central Florida both, there is plenty to satisfy your sweet tooth. Here are the best of the best. The […]
Review: Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe at Magic Kingdom
Let’s paint a picture. You’re at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom with your family. After busily traveling through all of its different lands, you now find yourselves starving in the middle of the day. Typically, the next course of action is to quickly survey the park map for the restaurant that best matches what […]
First look: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Originally announced at the D23 event in 2017, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway has been at the forefront of fans’ attention ever since thanks to its zany animation style (based off of the current Mickey Mouse shorts that have aired on the Disney Channel since 2013); the promise of its new, catchy theme song, called […]
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in-depth
While shopping, eating, and taking a quick ride on the Millennium Falcon may constitute a full day’s worth of activities at a highly immersive theme-park land, they only sit on the backburner narratively speaking – and it is in terms of narrative that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attempts to stand out from all the rest […]
First look: Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along at Epcot
Move over, Impressions de France – the France Pavilion has a new feature. The flagship attraction of this particular slice of Epcot’s World Showcase will soon be sharing its theater, the Palais du Cinema, with the brand-new Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along when it debuts next month. Whereas the former movie, clocking in at 18 minutes […]
Disney World: Touring the holiday decorations at the resorts
Much like driving around the festive neighborhoods back home to see Christmas lights, it is a tradition to tour Orlando’s best hotels to check out their holiday decorations. Disney’s on-site resorts have phenomenally themed Christmas decorations, with each one being worth a visit – but you may not have time to stop at them all. […]
3 new additions to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2019
Over the years, Disney has almost perfected the art of maintaining classic elements while also introducing new ingredients at its sprawling theme-park resorts, perpetuating nostalgia while injecting just enough of the adrenaline of the new. It’s a heady brew, and it’s perhaps best exemplified by the crown jewel of its various holiday celebrations, Mickey’s Very […]
Top 3 ways to enjoy Disney World without kids
In 35+ years of going to the Walt Disney World Resort parks, if anything is true, I can tell you it is this: Disney World is not just for kids. In fact, the resort as an adult kind of runs in my family; just a few years after Magic Kingdom opened, my parents honeymooned there […]
Remembering DisneyQuest
In 1965, when a mysterious land deal was reported near Orlando, Florida for (what would become) 25,000 acres, no one could imagine the (Disney) world that would unfold before their very eyes between 1971 and today. Even with all this space, however, there comes a time when everyone simply moves on; Walt Disney World Resort is […]
Review: Disney Skyliner
Originally announced back at the 2017 D23 Expo, the Disney Skyliner has not only been in the news for quite some time, but also in the popular consciousness of guests – finding a faster way to traverse at least part of the vastness that is Walt Disney World Resort is at the top of many […]
Grocery delivery to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando
We all love and adore the dining options inside the Central Florida theme parks or, even, in the surrounding shopping areas. But what do we do when we just want a nice family dinner at the hotel after a long day? Or we need to pack a small lunch for the drive, or a favorite snack? […]
Hurricanes and your Orlando vacation: 4 things to know
Given the fact that we’re now in hurricane season, it’s a good idea to keep the following points in mind as the Central Florida theme and water parks start to brace for potential weather disruptions: 1. You may be able to reschedule or receive a refund Your safety is the top priority of every theme park […]
Star Wars: Secrets from the story of Galaxy’s Edge
After 11 comic book issues, four novels, and one short-story anthology, we’ve finally come to the end of Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge publishing program, which endeavors to tie the brand-new theme-park land into the greater Star Wars mythos. And what an interweaving it is – this month’s two books of Galaxy’s Edge: A Crash […]
Disney World: Every major update from D23 2019
We got a little taste of what the D23 expo was going to have in store for us this year, but today’s the day when everything gets fully revealed and officially detailed (or as much detail as Disney is willing to divulge, at least!). Called “Sneak Peek! Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products,” today’s big panel […]
Dinner and a movie at AMC Dine-In Theaters
A meal and a movie is a near-perfect combination. It’s an easy option for a couple on a date, an outing with friends and family, or just as a quick getaway from reality. Working with this idea, AMC’s Dine-In Theater has taken the hassle of either resigning yourself to the usual snacks and stadium-style food offered […]
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Everything new for 2019
At 7:00 pm tonight, on August 16, Disney officially kicked off the Halloween season in Central Florida by starting its Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, located at Magic Kingdom. This relatively late addition to Walt Disney World’s annual-events roster has easily become one of the most popular at the resort – as its earlier-than-ever start date […]
Star Wars: Dok-Ondar’s story REVEALED
Yes, we’ve already received the novel Thrawn: Alliances, which saw Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader be dispatched to the remote world of Batuu on a secret mission for Emperor Palpatine in the final days before the original Star Wars trilogy, and we’ve gotten the young-adult book Pirate’s Price, which contains the fully-fleshed-out backstory of […]
Disney World: What’s new for holidays 2019
Celebrating Christmas in July? Good – it’ll whet your appetite for the real deal (which is just around the corner now!). Much as it has for the past few years, Disney has decided to experiment a bit with its 2019 holiday festivities at Walt Disney World Resort, adding a few new elements while still including […]
Quick-service breakfast options for a day at Magic Kingdom
Spending the day at any Florida theme park is no easy task, but Magic Kingdom can be the toughest of them all. Between the weather, the crowds, and the long hours needed in the park to make the most of those entrance prices, a day at Walt Disney World Resort’s flagship location can be rough […]
Disney World: Transportation guide from the Wilderness to the Kingdom
Welcome, glampers, to Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground! Here, you stand among the wild frontier (or Walt Disney World Resort’s version of it, anyway). You’ve settled into your campsite and are ready to start your visit to the most magical place on Earth, but there’s a dilemma: you have little-to-no knowledge of how the transportation […]
Disney Springs: 4 of the best bites at Flavors of Florida
Recently, Disney debuted its latest take on Epcot’s popular Food and Wine Festival: called Flavors of Florida, it runs at Disney Springs until September 2. In a nutshell, the event could easily be called a culinary showcase of the Sunshine State. The theme can be found via a mixture of flavors, aesthetics, and the fact that […]
Free things to do at Walt Disney World
A vacation at Walt Disney World Resort is truly a magical experience, filled with thrilling attractions and world-class entertainment the entire family can enjoy. However, all magic comes with a price, and visiting the parks can demand a large investment. But this high price tag doesn’t have to put restrictions on a Disney visit! In fact, […]
Drinking around the World: Disney’s BoardWalk edition
It’s a Walt Disney World Resort cult tradition to “drink around the world” at Epcot. While this remains tried and true, it’s typically a dedicated tour only of one land at only one theme park – but with all the inebriant options lying just outside of Epcot, at its resort area, there’s a whole other […]
Flavor done right: Frontera Cocina’s new menu
At the end of January, I was invited to attend a special event at Disney Springs. The venue was Frontera Cocina, a delightful Mexican dining experience created by celebrity chef Rick Bayless. The restaurant itself has been a staple of Disney’s dining/shopping/entertainment district since 2016, and I myself had eaten there once before. I enjoyed […]
Best time to go to Disney World
It’s easy to picture summertime in a paradise like Orlando. In fact, the image that most often comes to mind when people imagine themselves vacationing in Florida, and visiting a place like Walt Disney World Resort, is “summer break.” The Dole Whips, the sunshine, the crowds, the oppressive heat… what’s not to love? In all […]
Star Wars: The Millennium Falcon ride’s story REVEALED
UPDATE: Disney and Lucasfilm snuck in a quick follow-up to the book Pirate’s Price, adding one more (brief) chapter to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run’s backstory, which we cover in a brand-new section below. – For a planet that was supposed to be brand-new to Star Wars fans around the world, Batuu sure has been seeing a […]
Disney World: Top 5 nightlife options adults can still enjoy
Walt Disney World Resort has long been a place associated with children. Families take their vacations to Magic Kingdom, field trips flood the parks, and spring break is heralded by thousands of teenagers and 20-somethings escaping school. There is, of course, nothing wrong with this. But I have always believed that Disney Magic is for […]
Review: Nine Dragons Restaurant at Epcot’s China Pavilion
Some friends and I went to Nine Dragons at Epcot the other night for dinner. Should you do the same? Here’s what I think. Nine Dragons: First impressions On our way to World Showcase’s China Pavillion, I was concerned about locating Nine Dragons, since the Asian area has a lot of little hidden entranceways toward […]
15 hidden and weird spots at Walt Disney World
Did you know there’s more to Walt Disney World Resort than just the hidden Mickeys around the parks? The fun silhouettes of Mickey Mouse are fun to find, but they aren’t the only Easter eggs Imagineers have slipped in between the rides and restaurants. What other tucked-away details does Disney World offer? Here’s a peek at […]
Disney silhouette portraits – a unique souvenir
Walt Disney World Resort is full of hidden gems and secrets that make visiting again and again a treat! One of these secrets is a unique souvenir that is often overlooked – the cut-paper silhouette. But what exactly is it, and where can you get one? Cut-paper silhouettes are portraits, generally cut in profile, that are made from black […]
8 Magic Kingdom-resort-area secrets locals love
There are certain perks that come with being an Orlando local. For starters, Cinderella Castle and the Haunted Mansion have become our version of the famous titular bar from Cheers, with, of course, the likes of Mickey Mouse being our “Norm.” We know Walt Disney World Resort like the back of our hands, and, as […]
Your first Disney trip: Top 10 mistakes to avoid
As a long-time Walt Disney World Resort attendee, I’ve learned a few tricks about making the most of your first trip to the place where dreams come true. I’m going to share them with you now in the hopes that your first time will be the most magical it possibly can be. 10. “Dig a […]
UPDATED: Disney World’s gondolas officially announced
UPDATE 10:13 AM 11.14.18: at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo 2018, The Walt Disney Company announced that the Disney Skyliner will officially open in the fall of 2019. UPDATE 12:40 PM 10.19.18: Disney showed off this spiffy little video that’s meant to give us the best illustration yet of what the new […]
8 ways to propose at Disney World
When you think of a Walt Disney World Resort proposal, one of the most popular and evocative images is, of course, in front of Cinderella Castle. While that is a beautiful idea, the odds of being able to get exactly the photo and the moment you want are extremely slim. But don’t lose hope! I’m here […]
Explained: Disney World’s new date-based tickets
UPDATE (8:45 am 10.16.18): today is the day that the new, date-based pricing structure goes into effect at Walt Disney World Resort. To commemorate the occasion, Disney has released this infographic, to try and help explain when the new system will cost guests less or more when heading out to the parks: Furthermore, today is also […]
Our first visit to Batuu from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was originally announced back in August 2015, fans were surprised to learn that Disney had opted to place its new theme-park land on Batuu, a brand-new world in the Star Wars mythology, rather than on one of the pre-existent planets from either the films or television shows (like the Skywalkers’ […]
Disney’s Hollywood Studios: What’s next after Toy Story Land
It’s been something of a turbulent period for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the smallest – and, more recently, the most construction-laden – theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. An unbelievably large swath of the location’s various attractions have been shut down over the past four years, preparing the way for new additions that will do […]
Disney’s new Christmas celebrations include Toy Story Land in 2018
With Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party starting right around the corner (it kicks off this year on Friday, August 17), it’s time for Disney and all good vacation-planners alike to look ahead to the next big seasonal event: Christmas, which begins this year at Walt Disney World Resort on Thursday, November 8. After the success of […]
Will Disney change the future of theme parks with a new smart-phone app?
Disney today had some interesting, if rather vague, news: a new smart-phone app will soon be arriving at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts, to be used in conjunction with the omnipresent My Disney Experience. Called Play Disney Parks, it has the potential to change the way that guests will wait and, well, play […]
8 movies you should watch before visiting Disney World
If there’s one thing that The Walt Disney Company truly excels at, it’s storytelling. Generations have grown up, fallen in love, and shared Disney’s stories with their children for almost 100 years. Most of these stories start out as a film project from Walt Disney Studios, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel (jeez, they really do own everything) […]
Everything coming to Orlando in 2018 and 2019
Last October, we brought you a listing of all the new experiences that were being lined up at Orlando for the end of that year and on into this one. A lot has changed in the last five months, however – we have more details on some 2018 openings, and we’ve also gotten a much […]
5 Walt Disney World restaurants that will blow your mind
Depending on your hierarchy of vacationing, food quality and selection is probably one of the top considerations when planning a trip. Although Universal Orlando has received praise most recently with its theme park food (i.e. Butterbeer, Krusty Burgers… basically anything Wizarding World– or Simpsons-related), it’s Walt Disney World that still carries the title of best […]
Disney’s restructuring: What it could mean for the future
If there’s one thing I’ve learned since starting to professionally write about theme parks six years ago, it’s this: the themed industry is increasingly at the very heart of businesses everywhere. Take Disney’s MagicBands, those wonderful little devices that act as ticket, hotel-room key, and credit card. They were designed by the company to try […]
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon to debut summer nighttime event
Disney has just announced that H2O Glow Nights will take place on Thursdays and Saturdays from June 21 to August 11, from 8:00 to 11:00 pm at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park. The celebration will feature Toy Story characters and is inspired by the Pixar short film “Partysaurus Rex,” which is part of the Toy Story […]