PHOTO REPORT: EPCOT, Disney Springs, Disney’s Hollywood Studios 10/30/21 (Christmas Apparel Creeps into Creations Shop, Limited Time “Eternal” Sneak Peek, and More)

halloween-the-seas5

Good Morning from EPCOT! Join us today as we journey around the world and hop around Walt Disney World Resort. We have a lot to discover so let’s jump to it. A quick ‘hello’ to our pal, Goofy, at the front of EPCOT. Christmas apparel is slowly starting to take over at Creations Shop. We found these cozy, lounge pants and sweater, and holiday t-shirt while shopping. The ‘Merry and Bright Nights’ holiday overlay continues to go up at Living […]

The post PHOTO REPORT: EPCOT, Disney Springs, Disney’s Hollywood Studios 10/30/21 (Christmas Apparel Creeps into Creations Shop, Limited Time “Eternal” Sneak Peek, and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Billie Butcherson to Return in “Hocus Pocus 2” And More Casting Announced Including Tony Hale and Hannah Waddingham

Walt Disney Studios gave fans a Halloween treat today with a video teaser of Hocus Pocus 2 and some cast reveals for the highly anticipated sequel, coming to Disney+ next year. Joining the cast are Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo, Doug Jones, Tony Hale, Sam Richardson, Hannah Waddingham, Juju Brener, Froy Gutierrez, Taylor Henderson, and Nina […]

The post Billie Butcherson to Return in “Hocus Pocus 2” And More Casting Announced Including Tony Hale and Hannah Waddingham appeared first on LaughingPlace.com.

PHOTOS: Did Halloween Draw the Crowds to Disney World?

Star Wars pickles, limited time cocktails, and plenty of treats? Yup, it’s Halloween in Disney World, folks!

Does this wreath say Halloween to you?

As we’re exploring the parks today, we’re thrilled to sip on a Pumpkin Spice Latte and snack on themed goodies to celebrate. But, we aren’t the only ones who are visiting Disney World today, ready to have a blast! So, we’re giving you a look at the crowds we saw for Halloween!

When we entered the Magic Kingdom, we knew it was going to be a pretty busy day after seeing the crowds around the parks! Tomorrowland was one of the most popular areas of the park as many guests were milling about to dining locations, attractions, and more.

Tomorrowland Crowds

Some of the quieter attractions were even busy with longer queues at rides like Tomorrowland Speedway…

It’s a Busy Day!

…and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin!

Line Queues

However, even though the queues looked busier, the wait times weren’t as high as we were expected (although they did near or go just over an hour at certain parts of the day). Still, even with the crowds in the Magic Kingdom, there were quite a few quiet nooks of the park that were great to sit down for a break.

Quieter Area

On the other hand, Hollywood Studios was a LOT busier when we entered compared to the Magic Kingdom! The Halloween crowds extended all the way back from the entry booths towards the hub area, causing a bit of a wait to actually get inside the park.

Hollywood Studios Crowds

While it’s no surprise that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was the top pick for many guests visiting for Halloween, it was very busy with families and individuals ready to explore Batuu.

Galaxy’s Edge Crowds

Along with the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance, the queues extended elsewhere around Galaxy’s Edge at the dining locations and stores! However, when we passed Oga’s Cantina, they were accepting walk-ups (which is a pretty rare sight!).

Crowded Marketplace

Toy Story Land was also HOPPING today as many guests were excited to shrink to the size of a toy (as a little extra Halloween magic). However, we did see Slinky Dog Dash temporarily close at one point, even though it was one of the most visited rides of the day!

Toy Story Land

There were still a few quiet areas of Hollywood Studios, like Grand Avenue, so guests could chill out before heading back into the busier parts of the park! This area was still busier than we’ve seen in the past few days.

Grand Avenue

As we continue to make our way around Disney World throughout the holiday season, we’ll be sure to give you a look at everything you can expect in the parks! Stay tuned with DFB for the latest Disney entertainment and news coming soon!

Make TWO Disney Recipes for Halloween tonight!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney Fun!

Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!

With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!

With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.

Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today!

Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today!

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Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. 🙂

What are your Halloween plans? Let us know in the comments below!

The post PHOTOS: Did Halloween Draw the Crowds to Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog.

REVIEW: Should You Drop Almost $200 For This Specialty Food and Wine Event in Disney World?

The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic, which runs on October 29th and 30th, is an event that coincides with EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival and features 20+ food stands and 100+ drink options.

©Disney Swan and Dolphin

In the past, we’ve really enjoyed this event and we think it’s pretty underrated and definitely worth the price of admission and we loved the Food & Wine Classic: A Taste of Swan & Dolphin event from earlier this year. Today, we’re giving you our full review of this year’s event!

How It Works

In order to enter the event, you needed a ticket! You could grab a Causeway Ticket, which is $165 per person plus tax and gets you unlimited samples at the Causeway, which is the section that features a wide range of booths, as well as access to the Beer Garden! 

The Causeway

You could also get an Overnight Ticket, which is $580 and includes a one-night stay for two at the Swan or Dolphin hotels, as well as two Causeway Tickets for both nights.

Swan and Dolphin Resorts

Let’s see how the event was!

Atmosphere

When you head to the Food & Wine Classic, be sure to grab a map! Not only will this help you find the extensive array of booths at the event…

…it’ll also show you all the entertainment for the night! Usually, this would have the list of educational seminars as well, but those aren’t available this year.

There’s live entertainment!

Taking a look at the map, you’ll see that the Causeway, which is the bridge between the Swan and Dolphin Resorts, and the path along the water by the Swan Resort are both lined with booths featuring food, drinks, and treats!

The map!

Walking along the water, there were plenty of people out before the sun even went down, with lots of people scoping out what food they wanted to try out! The event began at 5:30PM, but guests were already lined up before then.

Tons of booths (and people!)

At the booths, the food is prepared right in front of you, like the Amare booth, which features food from the upcoming Swan Reserve Resort restaurant of the same name and had another cool detail…

The Amare Booth

…an old-school cocktail shaker! It was fun to watch our drink get shaken up in this vintage piece of hardware.

One of the most popular booths at the event was the Shula’s Steak House booth, which had a line well before the event started!

Shula’s Booth

Along with plenty of food booths, there were also a number of wine booths serving up wine from France, Italy, California, Oregon, and other regions!

At end of the Causeway, you could also catch live entertainment, with acts like the American Sirens and Adam Duss performing at the event.

Along with the main Causeway, additional areas like the Beer Garden had their own atmosphere. The Beer Garden has a more wooded, natural feel that complimented the brews you can find there.

Other areas like the Chinatown section of the event (which is not included with the cost of your ticket), were smaller and had more focused menus. However, we really enjoyed the atmosphere of this area!

Now, let’s eat!

Eats

Amare is one of the new restaurants coming to the new Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and they had a booth at the event! The featured cocktail at the Amare Booth, which had a base of Tanqueray, was one of our favorite drinks, with a very tangy flavor!

Amare Cocktail

Also from Amare was Grilled Mahi Mahi with Tuscan Kale, Toasted Fregola Sarda, and Spanish Caper Sauce, which had a nice, thick piece of fish and plenty of flavor! This was a fantastic dish and definitely something we’d get again.

 

From the popular Shula’s Steak House booth, the Roasted Linz Heritage Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Carrots, and Hollandaise Sauce was a very impressive dish and one of our favorites from the Food & Wine Classic! The meat was tender and the hollandaise was the perfect compliment.

Next up was the Smokin’ D’s BBQ booth’s Black Pepper Smoked Beef Brisket with Braised Greens, White Corn Spoon Bread, Caramelized Brussel Sprouts, and Smoked Tomato Barbecue Sauce, which was a bit dry but still good. This wasn’t particularly a highlight for us, though. There were much better dishes at the Classic.

Black Pepper Smoked Beef Brisket

From The Fountain booth, the Beef Slider with a Hand Formed Angus Beef Patty, Truffle Aioli, Hobb’s Bacon, and Roma Tomato Chutney was good but there was a LOT of truffle, so be prepared for that unique earthy flavor.

The Beef Slider

From the Cabana Bar & Beach Club booth, the Arkansas “BLT” with Fried Green Tomato, Double-Smoked Bacon, Iceberg Lettuce, and Pimento Cheese was very bready, which kind of killed the dish for us.

The Arkansas BLT

Okay, let’s do a lightning round for the next couple of dishes, which are all from the Beer Garden area! The Poutine with Yukon Gold Fries, House Gravy, and Cheddar Cheese Curds…

…the Bavarian Style Warm Pretzel with German Mustard, and Lager-Beer Cheese…

The Bavarian Pretzel

…and the Wagyu Sloppy Joe with Pickle Chip were all very basic dishes that are only worth it if you’re specifically craving those foods. Otherwise, there’s better stuff out there!

The Sloppy Joe

Speaking of better dishes, the Beer Garden’s Crispy “Korean Style” BBQ Chicken Wings with Smokey Gochujang BBQ Sauce was amazing! This one had lots of spicy flavors and was great finger food.

At the Chinatown booth, we LOVED the Shanghai Dumpling, which was a Pan Roasted Pork Dumpling with Spicy Sauce! This was an amazing, flavorful dumpling that was the perfect mix of crispness, spice, and fattiness that made it heavenly.

The Fried Dumplings

Some other dishes we tried were the “Tuna Poke” with Hawaiian Yellowfin Tuna, Koho Sushi Rice, Avocado Relish, and Crispy Fried Wontons from The Pig & The Poke area…

Poke

…and the Duck Confit Birria Taco with Braised Duck Leg, Corn Tortilla, Hoisin Reduction, Cilantro, Radish, and Cotija Cheese from Todd English’s bluezoo booth!

Duck Birria

Now, let’s look at the event’s desserts. The Bourbon Apples with Caramelized Apples, Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel Whipped Ganache, Almond Pound Cake, and Honey Granola Crumble was delicious and a massive hit for us! The flavor was similar to an apple crisp or apple pie.

German Chocolate Cake with Warm Chocolate Pecan Brownie, Coconut Cream, Caramelized Pecans, Toasted Coconut, and Fudge Icing was lit on fire right in front of us and it had a wonderful coconut flavor that complimented the chocolate and pecans! It was somewhat similar to a Mounds candy bar, but with less coconut.

We also tried quite a few drinks! One of the highlights was the Phins and Feathers beers, which were made by Swan & Dolphin. Both drinks were really smooth and refreshing and we loved the balanced hops flavor in the IPA.

Two of our favorite drinks were the Brut from the France booth…

The Brut!

…and the Justin Sauvignon Blanc from California!

The Sauvignon Blanc

Those are some of the highlights from our night at the Swan and Dolphin’s Food & Wine Classic!

Overall

Overall, we really enjoyed our time at the Swan and Dolphin’s Food & Wine Classic! As with any other festival, there were highs and lows, but generally, the food was of a high caliber and very delicious. If you’re looking for an experience that’s a bit more upscale compared to EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival, this is the place for you! If fine dining and fancy food festivals aren’t your thing, this might not be the one for you. If you’re adventurous when it comes to food and you want to try a bunch of new dishes, you should check out one of the future events at the Swan and Dolphin!

This event is definitely worth the price of admission as long as you make the most of it. If you’re up to try lots of different food, beers, and wines, you’re going to have a great time and get your money’s worth! Otherwise, check out EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival, it’s really good this year!

We’re always keeping up with the latest Disney news, so stay tuned here for more!

Click Here to Read About EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney Fun!

Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!

With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!

With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.

Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today!

Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today!

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Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. 🙂

What do you think of the Food and Wine Classic? Let us know in the comments!

The post REVIEW: Should You Drop Almost 0 For This Specialty Food and Wine Event in Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog.

Shanghai Disneyland to Close November 1st and 2nd Following Local Pandemic Prevention Requirements

The Shanghai Disney Resort had to modify services on October 31st and will be closed on November 1st and 2nd, 2021 as part of local pandemic prevention requirements. What’s Happening: China has a zero-tolerance policy for Coronavirus and in response to new cases reported in 14 areas in the northeastern region of the country. New temporary […]

The post Shanghai Disneyland to Close November 1st and 2nd Following Local Pandemic Prevention Requirements appeared first on LaughingPlace.com.

What’s New at Disney World’s Hotels: Halloween Treats and BEIGNETS ARE BACK!

Headed to Disney World soon? Well, we’re comin’ in hot with some updates!

Disney’s Riviera Resort

We’ve spent the last week checking in on the latest all over Disney World and that includes the Disney World Resort hotels! Now, we’re bringing you EVERYTHING new in food, construction, and merchandise from the resorts!

Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort

Food Updates

Let’s start with some food updates over at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort! We spotted the Spooky Apple Spiced Spider Cupcake at World Premiere Food Court

Spooky Apple Spiced Spider Cupcake

We especially loved the fall flavors in this one. Get it for $5.49!

Click here for our REVIEW of this cupcake!

Construction Updates

This resort has also seen some construction in the lobby over the past few weeks and it seems the transformation is partially complete! Check out the new lobby featuring individual desks.

All Star Lobby

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Resort

Food Updates

Over at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Resort, we spotted the returning Halloween drink, the Oogie Worm, at BoardWalk Joe’s.

Oogie Worm

This predictable Halloween drink features Disney’s fave pairing of fun colors and a gummy worm.

Want to see more of the Oogie Worm? Click here!

Construction Updates

There was a little bit of painting and sidewalk construction at the BoardWalk too.

Construction

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Construction Updates

Disney’s Contemporary Resort’s lobby has new white chairs. They look pretty snazzy!

Contemporary Chairs

Merchandise Updates

And we spotted some new merchandise at Contemporary! Bayview Gifts has a 50th Resort Posters Puzzle for $29.99

Puzzles

…and a Baking Mat.

Baking Mat

Over at Fantasia Market, we also found this cool Reflective Star Wars Beanie for $34.99.

Star Wars Hat

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

General Updates

Heading over to Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, we spotted a list of this week’s Halloween activities!

Halloween Activities

Did you know you can find 20 pumpkins around the campground?

Pumpkin Hunt

And the guests are getting in on the fun too with plenty of decorations on their golf carts and campgrounds!

Fort Wilderness Halloween Decorations

Campground guests tend to have a lot of fun during the holidays.

Want to see more amazing Halloween decorations? Click here!

Food Updates

This resort also has a Food Truck Round Up that started October 24th and ends on Halloween! It runs from 3PM To 9:30PM each night.

Pizza Cone

We got to try a PIZZA CONE at one of the trucks!

Click here to see more pizza coooone!

The Naked Cupcake truck had a few Halloween offerings. We tried out the Graveyard Cupcake.

But why is the foot there.

And yes, that is a foot.

To see our review of the foot cupcake, click here!

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Construction Updates

There’s one small update at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! Take a look at the new rope fencing along the boat dock.

Rope Fencing

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter

General Updates

And, exciting news, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter reopened!

We <3 Mickey Beignets

This popular moderate resort is back to celebrating Mardi Gras year-round.

Click here for more about this reopened resort!

And as a fun addition, the Cast Members at Scat Cat’s Club had new costumes.

New Costumes

And yes, the beignets are back too!!!

To see our review of the returned beignets, click here!

Merchandise Updates

Jackson Square, the merchandise location, had the Mickey Riverside Pin

Port Orleans Pin

…and the Tiana French Quarter Pin.

Port Orleans Pin

Disney’s Riviera Resort

General Updates

There was a cute indoor coloring activity available at Disney’s Riviera Resort. Ask about this during your stay!

Riviera Activity

Food Updates

And Le Petit Cafe had Spooky Bat Mousse for the holiday weekend.

Are you kidding?!

What a tasty way to celebrate the spooky season! Look at his little teeth.

Click here for our REVIEW of this treat!

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

General Updates

Wilderness Lodge also had some fun Halloween activities available this week!

Halloween Activities

Food Updates

And Roaring Fork had the Going Batty Cupcake again — but with a twist!

SO much better

This cupcake was available last year but it looks like it got a super cute makeover since then.

Want to see more of this treat? Click here!

And that just about does it for this week’s updates! As always, stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney World news!

To see more of the latest from Disney World hotels, click here!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney Fun!

Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!

With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!

With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.

Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today!

Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today!

ready-to-shop-button
Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. 🙂

Headed to Disney World soon? Tell us in the comments! 

The post What’s New at Disney World’s Hotels: Halloween Treats and BEIGNETS ARE BACK! first appeared on the disney food blog.

PHOTO: New 50th Anniversary Photo Frame Available at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

fort-wilderness-50th-frame-7242422

Guests staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground can commemorate their stay with a new photo frame for the resort’s 50th anniversary. 50th Anniversary Fort Wilderness Photo Frame – $29.99 The frame fits a 5″ x 7″ or 4″ x 6″ photo. The back of it resembles a log cabin, with Chip and Dale standing on the front. The 50th anniversary logo is above the Fort Wilderness logo on the top of the frame. Check out more 50th anniversary merchandise […]

The post PHOTO: New 50th Anniversary Photo Frame Available at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort appeared first on WDW News Today.

PHOTOS: More Who-liday Garland and First Signs of Grinchmas at Seuss Landing in Universal’s Islands of Adventure

seuss-landing-grinchmas-5-5005731

At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Seuss Landing was the first area to start getting ready for Christmas — or Grinchmas. More Who-liday garland now adorns railings throughout the land, plus preparations have begun for the Grinchmas show. Trusses are up between Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-Pendous and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. This walkway will be opened up to lead guests to the Grinchmas show. Different-colored garland now adorns almost every railing and lamppost throughout the land. The […]

The post PHOTOS: More Who-liday Garland and First Signs of Grinchmas at Seuss Landing in Universal’s Islands of Adventure appeared first on WDW News Today.