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Archive for Walt Disney World
New! Ferrytale Wishes: A Fireworks Dessert Cruise at Walt Disney World Resort
Guests visiting the Walt Disney World® Resort will soon be able to set sail for “Ferrytale Wishes” – an exclusive dessert party and unique fireworks viewing experience on Seven Seas Lagoon. As they sail aboard one of the iconic double stack ferryboats, guests will decadent desserts, specialty beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and a one-of-a-kind perspective of the famous Wishes nighttime spectacular above Magic Kingdom® Park.
The menu includes a variety of desserts, a fruit and cheese display and ice cream novelties. Guests will also receive a souvenir acrylic palette plate and glow glass once on board.
Ferrytale Wishes will first set sail on Oct. 5, 2015 with additional sailings offered on select dates. Guests may view the Happy HalloWishes or Holiday Wishes Nighttime Spectacular if sailing on an event party night. Reservation times are 1 hour prior to fireworks, and Guests must check-in at the Ferryboat launch at the Transportation and Ticket Center at least 50 minutes prior to fireworks to ensure they are on the ferryboat before it sails.
The cost is $99 per adult, $69 per child age 3 to 9 (tax and gratuity included). Bookings are now open for Ferrytale Wishes. Advance reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 407-WDW-TOUR (407-939-8687) or online at Disneyworld.com.
Doc McStuffins Now Meeting Guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Dottie “Doc” McStuffins is now meeting guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in a setting inspired by her playhouse clinic on the Emmy-nominated TV show, “Doc McStuffins,” airing on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Doc is a nurturing, six-year-old girl who can talk with the stuffed animal she cares for. Guests also can see Doc McStuffins in “Disney Junior – Live on Stage!” and spend time with her during breakfast and lunch at Disney Junior Play ‘n Dine at Hollywood & Vine, both at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
GLIDDEN Colortopia Exhibit Coming to INNOVENTIONS at Epcot
The GLIDDEN paint brand and Walt Disney World Resort are thrilled to roll out a colorful new exhibit in INNOVENTIONS at Epcot. Opening in late fall 2015, the Colortopia exhibit gives guests a guided interactive experience with fun and surprising hands-on activities involving colors. Guests will be able to extend the Colortopia experience throughout Epcot and into their own homes with a mobile application and website set to launch later this year.
A Weekend of Jubilant Entertainment at Disney’s Night of Joy 2015
Be inspired by the top names in Christian music at Disney’s Night of Joy 2015. This special ticket event will rock Magic Kingdom Park on September 11 and 12 from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. This year’s group of talented artists includes Night of Joy veterans like TobyMac, Skillet, Matt Maher and Jeremy Camp. Up-and-coming artists new to the event include Seventh Time Down, I Am They, and Veridia, who will fill the park with soulful melodies alongside many other uplifting artists. Visit NightofJoy.com for the full 2015 lineup and to purchase tickets.
39 Disney World Facts That Even Die-Hard Fans Don’t Know
The happiest place on Earth also happens to be one of the most interesting. Disney World has been around for nearly half a century, and with age comes good stories — and lots of them.
Morimoto Asia Announces Opening Date of September 30, 2015 as Downtown Disney Nears its Transition to Disney Springs
Morimoto Asia, a highly anticipated collaboration between Chef Masaharu Morimoto and Patina Restaurant Group, is pleased to announce a scheduled opening date of September 30, 2015 as Downtown Disney nears its transition to Disney Springs. The Japanese master chef’s first pan-Asian dining experience will showcase flavors from across the Asian continent, all with Morimoto’s creative touch.
Morimoto Asia’s eye-catching, 36-foot tall, two-story layout has been designed by STUDIO V Architecture. It includes lounges, dining spaces, and an exhibition kitchen that allows guests a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the culinary action. The second-level sushi bar and lounge have a separate entrance. Morimoto Asia will debut as part of The Landing, one of four neighborhoods in the new Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort.
“This has been a project of passion for our team and Chef Morimoto. We can’t wait to open our doors to everyone visiting Disney Springs this fall and beyond,” said Nick Valenti, restaurateur and CEO of Patina Restaurant Group.
Morimoto Asia will offer an entirely new experience for the diner, due to the creativity of Chef Morimoto, already one of the most inventive forces in Asian cuisine. The menu is Chef Morimoto’s eclectic take on his favorite Asian flavors including moo shu pork, Peking duck, lobster chow fun, sweet and sour crispy whole fish, and kung pao chicken. Dim sum will be served during weekend brunch service, and will include a variety of dumplings, shumai, bao, spare ribs and more. Being a true family-friendly destination, kids will have a variety of Asian-infused dishes including chicken ramen, kakuni pork bao, and karaage fried chicken.
The sushi bar will be a culinary experience unto itself. The intimate, 14-seat counter will offer pristine sushi and sashimi options from around the world. Items include toro, kanpachi, Japanese red snapper, uni, sea eel, hamachi, fluke, and salmon, as well as more ocean delicacies. A variety of specialty sushi rolls and selections from the raw bar will also be offered. While traditional sushi service will be limited to the guests seated at the sushi bar, a selection of specialty rolls and sushi platters will be available to the main restaurant’s diners.
Not to be outdone, the beverages at Morimoto Asia will also be destination-worthy. The beers will feature mostly Asian varieties in both bottle and on draft, including the Morimoto signature beer by Rogue Ales.
In addition to the collector’s edition Imperial Pilsner and Morimoto Soba Ale and the highly coveted Black Obi Soba will also be available by the bottle. The restaurant will also offer an assortment of sake, including the Morimoto signature line, plus a wine list showcasing wines of the world, signature cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
“I am excited to create a menu that allows so many of my favorite Asian flavors to come alive all in one place,” said Chef Masaharu Morimoto. “I hope the guests at Morimoto Asia have as much fun eating this food as I have creating it.”
Morimoto Asia will be a visually stunning addition to Disney Springs. The restaurant’s main entrance features a three-story glass corner, revealing the dramatic interior design including a multi-level bar and spiraling chandelier made of illuminated glass bottles. The sculptural bar at over 270 feet in length is one of the largest in the world, as it leaps through the soaring 36-foot tall space to connect the grand dining room on the ground floor with the upper level, wrapping around the grand stairway. Custom glass beaded chandeliers evoke the ocean delicacies of Chef Morimoto’s cuisine, and are reflected in antique mirrors, interspersed with glass mosaic artworks based on ancient Japanese prints. Chef Morimoto’s exclusive sushi bar is sculpted from hundreds of pieces of hand-selected ash wood, backed with a wall of hammered copper. Morimoto Asia’s two-story outdoor terrace provides patio seating with sweeping views of Disney Springs.
Morimoto Asia will be open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch with dim sum. www.morimotoasia.com
Disney World: An Olfactory Oasis by Jen Romano
If you are a Disney World fan, you undoubtedly know what I mean when I refer to the smell of pirate water or Splash Mountain water. While these smells are not the most fragrant aromas on Earth, they are a signal to me that I have completed the long journey to the World. For fans new to the Disney World craze, the water to which I am referring makes its home in any of the Disney World water rides. All of these rides have water with a very distinct smell. I have no idea what creates the smell, but whatever it is; it is magical. It is kind of a cross between stale water, maybe mildew, mold ??? You might be thinking that I am crazy, but take a whiff of any water ride at WDW, and you too can behold the powerful magic of the water smell.
The pirate water smell is not the only smell that is unique to Disney World. There are many smells that can tempt your nostrils and get those olfactory senses going. For example, there are many smells that are associated with Soarin’ in the Land Pavilion in Epcot. These smells are a little more conventional than the pirate water smell. When you fly over the orange groves in California, you can smell the delicious scent of oranges. When you soar over the forest or the ocean, those smells also stimulate your senses. In fact, the entire Land Pavilion has a certain smell to it that probably emanates from the food court area.
Since we are in Epcot, it would make sense to discuss the smells present in Spaceship Earth. The most obvious and well-known smell in this ride is the smell of Rome burning. This is such an EPCOT Center smell. It has been there since the beginning, and I think various Disneyphiles would launch into a riot if it were to be removed at any point. Epcot is just full of tasty smells associated with all of the fine dining establishments throughout the World Showcase. The various rose gardens also create lovely smells as you stroll through Future World right outside of Journey into Imagination.
Before we leave Epcot, I would be remiss in not mentioning a smell that is long gone but not forgotten. Of course, I am referencing the smell of oranges in the much-loved Horizons ride that closed many years ago. This smell has been imitated on Soarin’, but it is just not exactly the same.
As we leave Epcot and board the monorail, the smells continue. The monorail has a very distinct odor that, again, I cannot identify, but I know it when I smell it. Sometimes, I will catch a whiff of something in the real world that is like this smell, and it just brings me back to WDW again. Now, after exiting the monorail at the Magic Kingdom, my absolutely favorite smell is that of the popcorn that is being freshly popped on Main Street. This smell always makes me want to eat popcorn even if I am stuffed.
Continuing on our journey down Main Street, the Confectionary always beckons to passersby with the tempting scent of tasty sugar treats of all kinds. We always make a little detour into this store in order to take in the smells and the sights. As you make your way around the Magic Kingdom, you will also smell many other tasty treats. For example, Frontierland smells like hamburgers and formerly turkey legs. I am not a fan of turkey legs, but the hamburgers smell so good. They always make me crave that for my meal.
These are just a few of the many, many smells that grace the grounds of WDW. I could go on and on, but I will save those for another article. Disney should bottle those scents some way so that guests could take them home. For example, candles would be an excellent idea. Even shirts with scents or stickers or stamps with various scents would work. I would buy Rome burning and the pirate water smell as well as the orange smell from Soarin’ or even the smell of the pies from Philharmagic. Even if you aren’t in WDW now, I hope your day is filled with the scent of happiness and success! Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!
Explore the Wonderful World of Walt’s Wilderness
Walt Disney loved exploring the great outdoors. Now guests have the opportunity to explore the natural wonders of Walt Disney World Resort through the eyes and stories of Walt himself. Escape to Walt’s Wilderness guides guests on an outdoor adventure ideal for the whole family. This half-day experience includes a variety of outdoor excursions, including pontoon rides, an archery lesson at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, breakfast by the campfire, and a visit to Tri-Circle-D Ranch. The stories of Walt’s passion for nature is shared throughout the five-hour trek, making it a truly magical and heartwarming experience To book or for more information, call 407-WDW-PLAY.
Celebrate Thanksgiving Day with Family Feasts at Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort guests can join together for a joyous and delicious Thanksgiving Day dinner. With a variety of dining options at the theme parks and resorts, there is a cornucopia of exciting lunch and dinner offerings inspired by this American tradition.
Guests can enjoy menu options for Thanksgiving Day meals at Walt Disney World Resort featuring a classic turkey dinner, such as the hearty all-American eats and traditional family- style Thanksgiving feast at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom Park. For guests looking for a special spin on the traditional turkey dinner, try some of the more unique options, such as traditional Norwegian meatballs and pan-seared salmon at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall or roasted heirloom beets with candied walnuts and mulled apple cider at Artist Point.
At Epcot, guests can dine on Thanksgiving menus during lunch and dinner seatings at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, Biergarten Restaurant, Coral Reef Restaurant, Le Cellier Steakhouse, Tutto Itlalia Ristorante, Restaurant Marrakesh, Rose & Crown Dining Room, and Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria, as well as quick service at Sunshine Seasons.
Holiday menus also are offered at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom; Hollywood & Vine, 50’s Prime Time Café and The Hollywood Brown Derby in Disney’s Hollywood Studios; Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom; Planet Hollywood, Portobello Country Italian Tattoria, Wolfgang Puck Grand Café, Fulton’s Crab House and Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant in Downtown Disney; and in resort hotels throughout Walt Disney World Resort.
Availability is limited and dining events are subject to change. For information and reservations, call 407-WDW-DINE.
