Major updates to today’s severe weather forecast at Disney, to include possible tornadoes

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for several counties in Central Florida, and as of 1:00 p.m. ET, the watch was expanded to include the counties of Orange and Seminole. The watch expires at 5:00 p.m. ET this evening.

The Walt Disney World Resort is located in southwestern Orange County, so the watch now includes all –of Disney World’s property, including the parks and the Resort Hotels.

Yesterday, we reported that severe and potentially dangerous weather had been forecast for Central Florida for today, including rain, thunderstorms–some of them possibly severe–and increased winds of up to 20 miles per hour. As of yesterday, there was no mention of the possibility of tornadoes, but now the condition is such that the possibility exists.

Remember that a “tornado watch” means conditions are conducive to the forming of a tornado, and a “tornado warning” means that a tornado has been spotted by storm trackers or by local radar. Often, when there is the threat of severe thunderstorms, a tornado watch will also be issued, as the conditions under which both take place have many similarities.

The latest forecast shows a possibility of up to 1/2 inch of rain in the Orlando area and as much as 2 inches of rain possible in cities to the north like Jacksonville.

If you’re visiting the parks at Walt Disney World today, be sure to take an umbrella, poncho and even a dry pair of socks and/or shoes to change into after the storms pass, should you get yours wet while navigating the parks. It can also be helpful to have a plan for what you might enjoy doing in the parks, should outdoor attractions be temporarily closed or unavailable because of the storms.

Disney Magic at Home: Delicious Disney Halloween Recipes

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Uncategorized

Halloween is such a fun time of year! To celebrate all year long and to bring some spooky Disney magic at home, Disney has released some delicious recipes.

From a Disney Cast Member;

For many of us, the Halloween season is a favorite time of year with all the creative costumes (for humans and pets!), festive parties, over-the-top decorations, and, of course, fabulous food!

In honor of our #Halfway2Halloween celebration, I was excited to feature a couple of my favorite Disney Halloween and fall recipes from years past. (Full disclosure – I love anything pumpkin!)

The challenge? I could not decide which were my top two favorites so I turned to my team to select their favorites. The challenge? We had a six-way tie!

So here you go – in no particular order – our favorite autumnal Disney recipes (plus a just plain adorable sugar cookie!) to celebrate Halfway2Halloween. And a bonus – the Pumpkin Crème Brûlée recipe is new and exclusive to Disney Parks Blog. Click the links below each photo for the downloadable recipe. Happy Halfway2Halloween!

These twists of pumpkin delight are super easy to make with frozen puff pastry. The pumpkin pie filling is what makes this delicious hand-held snack so special … for all you Halloweenies out there! Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Scrumptious Pumpkin Pancakes slathered with butter and syrup. ‘Nuff said. Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

This gluten- and vegan-friendly Pumpkin Soup is a warm hug in a bowl. Great as a side dish or a main meal. Yes, please! Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Of course, we give Halloween icon Jack Skellington his own cookie! Have fun baking and decorating this treat any time of the year. Beverage choice – milk, of course! Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

These Pumpkin Bars are bites of pumpkin heaven complete with a graham cracker crust. What’s not to love? Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Everything about this Pumpkin Crème Brûlée will “wow” family and guests. This French classic with a nod to the Halloween season is actually easier to make than you think and definitely worth the effort – promise! Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Holiday Foodie Guide for Walt Disney World

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

We may have not celebrated Halloween yet, but Disney is already looking ahead to the 2021 holiday season. We’ve got details on some of the fantastic holiday treats you’ll be able to find at the theme parks and Disney Springs.

Season’s Greetings!

I know, I know, we haven’t even finished trick-or-treating, but our chefs and mixologists can’t wait to join in the reindeer games and share all the holiday deliciousness at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. To cover it all, we need multiple Foodie Guides this holiday season!

We are kicking off with the Foodie Guide to all the yummy holiday sips and bites offered in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom Park, and Disney Springs to get you in the holiday spirit. (Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about EPCOT – I will have the annual Foodie Guide to EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth posted soon.)

Be sure to check back for the various holiday Foodie Guides so you can find all the places at Disney to eat, drink, and be merry!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Restaurantosaurus

    • Open-Faced Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich – Grilled multigrain bread with roasted garlic mayonnaise, cornbread stuffing waffle, sliced smoked turkey breast, herb gravy, cranberry sauce, and a fried sage leaf (available Nov. 25)

Satu’li Canteen

    • Thanksgiving Bowl – Cornbread stuffing, sliced roasted turkey, cranberry boba pearls, gravy, and slaw (available Nov. 25)
    • Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse – Pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate “dirt,” and cranberry boba pearls (available Nov. 25-28)
    • Peppermint Cream Cheese Mousse – Peppermint cream cheese mousse, peppermint sauce, peppermint candy pieces, and chocolate “dirt” (available Dec. 1-30)

Tiffins Restaurant

    • Thanksgiving Plate – Turkey roulade, fine-herbs whipped potatoes, maple-glazed carrots, sweet potato pave, wild mushrooms, green bean casserole, cornbread dressing, cranberry gel, and turkey gravy (available Nov. 25)
    • Roasted Squash Soup – Ginger-pear chutney, pickled jalapeño, chai-spiced and candied pistachios (available Nov. 25)
    • Apple Pie Cheesecake – Whipped caramel cheesecake, apple pie compote, white chocolate streusel, and cranberry sauce (available Nov. 25)
    • Horchata Mousse Snow Globe – Golden coffee crémeux, gingerbread sable cookie, coriander chantilly, elderflower meringue, bourbon caramel, and candied pecans (available Dec. 25)
    • Pork T-Bone – Apple-brined pork, sweet potato variations, boniato mash, and ginger-pear butter (available Dec. 25)

Tusker House Restaurant

    • Thanksgiving Dinner – Spit-roasted turkey, turkey gravy, mashed red potatoes, and focaccia bread dressing along with seasonal vegetables, pork loin, flank steak, and an assortment of desserts (available Nov. 25)

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

ABC Commissary

    • Sugar Cookie Snowman – A tasty snowman made of white chocolate sugar cookie mousse, whipped lemon curd, and a holiday sugar cookie (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

ABC Commissary and Catalina Eddie’s

    • Santa’s Belt Cookie – White chocolate-covered chocolate shortbread cookie (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

Backlot Express and Trolley Car Café

    • Red Velvet Whoopie Pie – Moist red velvet cake filled with classic cream cheese filling and festive sprinkles (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge and Tune-In Lounge

    • Holiday Bliss – Vanilla vodka, sour apple liqueur, caramel beverage syrup, and vanilla ice-cream mix (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

ABC Commissary, Backlot Express, Rosie’s All-American Café, and PizzeRizzo

    • Frozen Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate – Salted caramel beverage syrup and frozen hot chocolate mix topped with marshmallows and chocolate syrup (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)
    • Frozen Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate with Black Cherry Bourbon – Salted caramel beverage syrup, frozen hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, chocolate syrup, and black cherry bourbon (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

Oasis Canteen, Animation Arch Bar, and Sunshine Day Bar

    • Christmas on the Beach – Coconut rum, blue curaçao, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice served with a souvenir glow cube (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

Outdoor Carts

    • Holiday Brownie – Chocolate Mickey brownie with holiday sprinkles (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

PizzeRizzo

    • Butterscotch Caramel Cannoli – Holiday cannoli filled with caramel cheesecake, butterscotch chips, and chocolate flakes (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

Rosie’s All-American Café and Trolley Car Cafe

    • Reindeer Mousse – Spiced caramel cheesecake over peanut butter mousse atop a salty pretzel shortbread cookie (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

Woody’s Lunch Box

    • Holiday Lunch Box Tart – Apple pie filled tart frosted with cinnamon icing, sugar snowflake, and holiday sprinkles (available Nov. 8-Jan. 3)

Magic Kingdom Park

Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies

    • Christmas Cookie Sundae – Christmas Cookie soft-serve topped with whipped cream, hot fudge, and holiday sprinkles (available Nov. 8-Dec. 31)
    • Christmas Cookie Milkshake – Christmas cookie milkshake topped with whipped cream and holiday sprinkles (available Nov. 8-Dec. 31)

Golden Oak Outpost

    • Gingerbread Almond Cake Pop – Gingerbread almond cake pop dipped in white chocolate (available Nov. 8-Dec. 31)

Main Street Bakery

    • Mickey Cinnamon Roll – Mickey-shaped cinnamon roll drizzled with red and green icing (available Nov. 8-Dec. 31)

Sleepy Hollow

    • Ginger Apple Funnel Cake – Gingerbread funnel cake topped with apple pie filling, vanilla ice cream, and caramel sauce (available Nov. 8-Dec. 31)

Disney Springs

Amorette’s Patisserie

    • White Chocolate Peppermint Éclair with White Chocolate and Peppermint Mousse (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Santa Mickey Dome Cake (available Nov. 5-Dec. 30)
    • Holiday Mickey Mousse Mini Dome Cake (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Holiday Parfait – Bourbon white chocolate mousse, cranberry cherry panna cotta, maple chocolate ganache, and chocolate chiffon cake (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • NYE Petite Cake (available Dec. 31)

AristoCrêpes

    • Cherry Jubilee Bubble Waffle – Bubble waffle filled with scoops of vanilla ice cream, cherries jubilee fillings, and whipped cream (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Santa Hot Crêpe – Sweet crêpe filled with eggnog custard topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream (available Nov. 26- Dec. 30)

D-Luxe Burger

    • Holiday Turkey Burger – Turkey patty, butternut squash risotto cake, bacon-cranberry jam, lettuce, and tomato (available Nov. 5-Dec. 1)
    • “Oh Deer” Cookie Shake – Hazelnut liqueur, vanilla gelato, cinnamon beverage syrup, whipped cream, cinnamon, and sugar dusting with ginger deer garnish (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)

Dockside Margaritas

    • Snowman on the Beach Margarita – Silver tequila, key lime juice, crème de coconut, sweet and sour, graham cracker rim, chocolate pearls, and carrot sugar piece (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)

The Daily Poutine

    • Gobbler Poutine – Turkey, brown gravy, cranberry chutney, and cheese curds (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)

The Ganachery

    • Olaf Hot Cocoa Surprise (available Nov.12- Dec. 30)
    • Santa Mickey Piñata (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Gingerbread Ganache Square (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Peppermint Bark (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Chocolate Christmas Cottage (available Dec. 22- Dec. 30)

Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar

    • Venison Slider – Sliders with venison sausage patties, arugula, tomato, and cranberry aïoli on house made buns (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Fried Brussel Sprouts – Fried Brussel sprouts with bacon vinaigrette (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Holiday Lights Deviled Eggs – Colored deviled eggs with tobiko, and shrimp (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Ham and Brie Flatbread – Shaved ham and brie cheese, pomegranate seeds, granny smith apples, apple vinaigrette, and watercress (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Cookies and Milk – Assorted Christmas cookies and coquito (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Lump of Coal Dessert – Cookies and cream ganache “coal” (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Elf Elixir –Tequila, crème de menthe, and half & half with cookie crumb and holly leaf sugar garnishes (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Claus Mo – Traditional cosmopolitan with a shimmery twist garnished with red and white sugar and a candy cane (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Yule Mule – Gin, ginger beer, cranberry juice, and rosemary simple syrup with a holly leaf sugar garnish (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)

Outdoor Carts and Kiosks

    • Mistletoe – Coconut rum, melon liqueur, blue curaçao, orange juice, pineapple juice, and Sprite (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Fireside Cider – Cinnamon whiskey, vanilla vodka, white cranberry juice, grenadine, and Ginger Ale (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)
    • Merry Margarita – Tequila, ginger liqueur, cinnamon beverage syrup, white cranberry juice, sweet and sour, and grenadine (available Nov. 5- Dec. 30)

 (Note: All offerings subject to change.)

Florida now has lowest COVID rates in the U.S.

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Via DisDining.com

Florida now has the lowest number of COVID cases among the 50 United States of America, based on daily averages.

The Sunshine State is currently averaging 1,700 new cases daily, or approximately 8 cases for every 100,000 Floridians. The only other state in the union to have single digits per 100,000 residents is Hawaii.

Shocked?

Many who have watched the most recent numbers of COVID infections and hospitalizations and deaths related to the virus in Florida are very surprised, especially when you consider that in mid-August, a little over 2 months ago, the state saw an average of 25,000 new cases every day of the week. That’s about 116 cases per 100,000 residents.

In just over two months’ time, daily averages in Florida have dipped a remarkable 90%. The state of California, which has arguably the most stringent mask and vaccine requirements of these 50 states, sits at a daily average of more than twice Florida’s, and the daily average of new cases in Florida is less than a quarter of the daily average of new cases in Vermont, the state that boasts the highest number of vacated residents by percentages.

These are positive things for Florida, and they signal the beginning of two things: first, the mud-slinging across the party lines and politicizing of the virus, its spread, how to handle the spread, and what role the government is Constitutionally capable of playing in individual’s choices about wearing masks and getting the vaccine, and second, a talk about what these improved COVID case numbers might mean for crowds at Walt Disney World this holiday season.

We already know that Disney’s new Annual Passholder program that debuted in early September will play a role in attendance numbers at the parks. At the end of last week, almost all spots for New Year’s Eve in the parks were already booked, and Christmas Day was in 2nd place.

We’re far enough along in the pandemic to know that a rise in cases comes in waves–numbers rise; then they peak, and then they recede, and that’s been the case for a while now. What we don’t know is the timeline: when will the next significant rise in cases come?

We’re not entirely convinced that a rise or a recession in the number of COVID cases will necessarily encourage fans to head to the parks for the holidays. Then again, we aren’t entirely convinced that the lower number of cases will preclude fans from coming.

Most Americans feels adamantly one way or the other about the virus, and you can bet that anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers won’t let some numbers–large or small–on a CDC press release dictate to them what they will and won’t do with their holiday season.

And in the same respect, those who won’t leave home without a mask–if they leave home at all–will most likely not be swayed by the aforementioned numbers either.

Fire Chapek Petition Gains Major Steam, Over 30K Signatures in 24 Hours

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Yesterday, it was reported that a petition calling for the firing of Disney CEO Bob Chapek was gaining steam after being shared by several former Disney Imagineers. The petition claimed that Chapek was making decisions that decreased the quality of in-Park experiences, as well as favoring reusing IPs instead of coming up with new and original ideas at the Parks. The petition also claimed that Chapek was putting making money over Disney products and the quality of The Walt Disney Company.

Now, the petition was started over one year ago, but in that time, it had only amassed several thousand signatures — including over 300 in the time it took to write and publish this article. However, after being shared by some with larger social media followings, the petition exploded and now has just over 40,000 signatures — receiving nearly 35,000 signatures in just 24 hours. Thousands of users are sharing the petition on social media and encouraging others to sign.

According to the Change.org petition:

In early 2020 he became the CEO of the Walt Disney Company which was extremely concerning. Bob Chapek has made an excessive amount of budget cuts, even with the Covid-19 pandemic being considered. Budget cuts began before the pandemic began, and increased. He recently reinstated full executive salaries at Disney, and also has laid off over 28,000 employees throughout the company. And now he is moving the focus to Disney plus, the current big money maker, instead of keeping the parks at high quality.

Normally you would think to keep the quality of the parks during a time of decreased revenue, but he is concerned about what will make him the most money quickest. Maintenance at the parks has also gotten its worst under Chapek, and is not getting better. Chapek has proven he doesn’t care about the quality and legacy of Disney.

Within the petition to fire Chapek is one that suggests Josh D’Amaro — the current Chairman of Disney Parks, Products, and Experiences — should take over as CEO of the massive company. Chapek had been in the position D’Amaro now occupies before he was promoted to CEO in February 2020 with former CEO Bob Iger taking the rank of Executive Chairman.

It is important to remember that just because the petition has amassed tens of thousands of signatures, that does not mean that Disney will be required to make any changes to its current leadership. However, if enough fans voice their concerns, Disney may perk up their ears and take note.