It’s not just the start of a new year – it’s also the beginning of an all-new themed sailing for Disney Cruise Line! This weekend, Pixar Day at Sea will make its debut on the Disney Fantasy, bringing to life the ever-unfolding stories of our favorite Pixar toys, monsters and heroes during one incredible day at sea.
On select seven-night sailings through mid-March, families will encounter more Pixar characters than ever before during this day-long celebration, from meet-and-greet opportunities, dance and pool parties, family activities and an all-new nighttime spectacular.
In addition to the incredible entertainment offerings, a multitude of new themed food and beverage items will also be available during these voyages, including a breakfast with Woody and friends, sweet treats that are sure to bring guests joy and a Pixar-inspired dinner.
Our crew members have been hard at work preparing for the debut of Pixar Day at Sea, but they aren’t the only ones. Take an exclusive look below as some of our favorite Pixar pals that are now on board the Disney Fantasy getting ready for the festivities!
It’s time to grab your favorite stretchy pants, best friend, and a couple of forks as we are ready to dig into the latest dishes and sips for the 2023 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. And yes… we said FIGMENT WAFFLES are coming!
When most Disney fans think about an EPCOT Festival, it’s likely the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival will come to mind. With the 2022 Food and Wine Festival and EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays wrapped up, we’re heading into the new year eager for the Festival of the Arts to arrive.
The beloved 2023 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts kicks off on January 13 and runs through February 20, 2023. This year, the festival features 50 new menu items at the enticing Festival food booths spread throughout the theme park.
While many of the favorite food booths are returning around the World Showcase, new food booths are debuting, including Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food, and Little Sparks of Magic.
Disney has already shared that sometime in 2023, Figment, the popular purple dragon from the nostalgic EPCOT attraction Journey Into Imagination With Figment, will be available for a meet and greet.
Additionally, Figment is getting the spotlight during the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts with plenty of merchandise, as well as the grand return of last year’s ridiculously popular Figment Popcorn Bucket, which will be available during the festival while supplies last.
As Disney releases foodie guides for the EPCOT Festival of the Arts, we can’t help but focus on the mouthwatering Figment delights headed to the Disney Park.
The new booth, Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food, and Little Sparks of Magic will feature deliciously colorful bites and sips, including:
Fruit Pizza: Watermelon, compressed cantaloupe, berries, and berry balsamic
Grape Smoothie with freeze-dried SKITTLES bite-sized candies (non-alcoholic)
3 Daughters Brewing Black Cherry Hard Cider
3 Daughters Brewing Blood Orange Hard Cider
3 Daughters Brewing Passion Fruit Hard Cider
Rainbow Cider Flight
81Bay Brewing Co. Green with Envy Blonde Ale
81Bay Brewing Co. Blue Butterfly Lager
Urban Artifact The Gadget Raspberry & Blackberry Midwest Fruit Tart
Rainbow Beer Flight
But, surprisingly, the new Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food, and Little Sparks of Magic booth is NOT where you’ll find what will surely be the coveted Festival of the Arts food must-have… the FIGMENT WAFFLE.
Head on over to Connections Café in the World Celebration portion of the Park for a chance to taste the Figment Liege Waffle as pictured below:
Sorry, Mickey Waffles! But we’ll be on a strict Figment Liege Waffle diet between the Festival of the Arts dates of January 13 – February 20, 2023.
Last week, Marvel star Jeremy Renner — who plays Hawkeye in a number of films and shows in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — was involved in a horrible accident while snowplowing at his home near Reno, Nevada. According to reports, Mr. Renner was using a large, professional snowplow and something happened, and the snowplow — which weighs more than 14,000 pounds — ran over his leg. Renner lost a massive amount of blood and was airlifted to a hospital, where he was listed in “critical but stable” condition.
Just days after Renner was admitted to the hospital, it was also reported that, in addition to the extensive damage to his leg, Mr. Renner had also suffered “blunt chest trauma.” Thankfully, it appears that the actor is doing well and on the mend. On January 3, Renner gave fans a look at some of his injuries and thanked them for their support, but admitted that he was “messed up” in an Instagram post.
Thank you all for your kind words. 🙏. Im too messed up now to type. But I send love to you all.
From the time Renner was admitted to the hospital, his family has been by his side. And now, Renner appears to be getting better every day, and he has shared a fun video of his sister and mother pretending to pamper him in while he lays in his hospital bed.
A “not no great” ICU DAY, turned to amazing spa day with my sis and mama❤️. Thank you sooooo much
A “not no great” ICU DAY, turned to amazing spa day with my sis and mama❤️. Thank you sooooo much pic.twitter.com/pvu1aWeEXY
So far, Renner has had two surgeries to repair some of the extensive damage he suffered from the snowplow accident. While Renner remains in the ICU — Intensive Care Unit — a neighbor of his, who is a doctor, was able to save him from potentially more damage when he applied a tourniquet to Renner’s leg to stop the bleeding.
We do not know how many more surgeries Renner will need to repair his leg or how long he will be in the hospital.
Not only has Walt Disney World Resort released a new dining promotion that has seemingly replaced the former Disney Dining Plan, but they are also rolling out Resort Hotel room discounts for all Guests. And if you’re one of Disney World’s Annual Passholders, the discounts get even sweeter!
It’s a great time to be a Walt Disney World Annual Passholder… especially if you’re looking to book a late spring or early summer vacation to Disney. Not only is this right around the time Disney has announced TRON Lightcycle / Run will finally open at Magic Kingdom Park, but Disney is offering a way to save on the budget.
Available now for booking, Annual Passholders can save up to 30% on select Disney Resort Hotels for 2023’s last spring and early summer, valid for most stayed between May 1 through July 10, 2023.
According to Disney’s Special Offers page, Annual Passholders can save select percentages on the following Walt Disney World Resorts between May 1 and July 10, 2023. Check out the savings and offer details below.
Resort Savings
Save 30%
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Save 25%
The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Disney Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Save 20%
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Save 15%
The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Save 10%
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
Offer Details
For eligibility, Passholders must present a valid Walt Disney World Annual Pass at check-in during the valid travel dates of most nights between May 1, 2023, to July 10, 2023. Length of stay requirements includes a minimum of 1 night, with a maximum of a 14-night stay. Details include:
The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited.
Savings based on the non-discounted price a non-Passholder pays for the same room.
Length of stay requirements may apply.
Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts, and Studios at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.
Advance reservations required.
Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion.
Offer excludes the following room types: 3-bedroom villas and Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
Valid admission and a theme park reservation are required to enjoy theme parks and special events, and are not included in this offer.
Disney has made it clear that there is an allocated amount of rooms for this special Annual Passholder discount. Be sure to check out all the details and book ASAP.
Additionally, this special discount will open to Florida residents on January 10, 2023, so be sure to snag your room discount before then.
Way back in the summer of 2021, Disney stated that the Disney Dining Plan would be coming back. Well, it hasn’t, and we’ve been waiting to hear any kind of update. We finally got an announcement on a dining promotion, but it’s not exactly the news we were hoping for.
Promo Dining Card Offer Details
Disney has just announced a new dining promotion that begins January 5. Guests who purchase select vacation packages will receive a new complimentary Disney Dining Promo Card. The card will be available for arrivals between June 25 and September 14, 2023. A vacation package that includes a minimum 4-nights, anlong with a minumum 4-day theme ticket is required.
The rate of the Dining Promo Card is determined by your arrival date and resort category:
June 25-30 & July 11-31
$35 per night for Value resorts
75 per night for Moderate resorts and Cabins
$125 per night for Deluxe resorts and Disney Deluxe Villas
July 1-10 & August 1- September 14
$50 per night for Value resorts
$100 per night for Moderate resorts and Cabins
$150 per night for Deluxe resorts and Disney Deluxe Villas
For all dates, the maximum value for the Promo Card will be $750. Note a lower-value Disney Dining Promo Card may also be available when you purchase this package during other select summer arrival dates. Ask your Travel Planner for details.
You cannot combine this offer with any other discounts. The room and ticket package must be non-discounted to receive the Disney Dining Promo Card offer.
Using the Dining Card
Rather than guests having credits for certain meals, they will receive a digital card that will be emailed to guests once they’ve checked in at their resort. You can also present the card barcode in the email itself, or print out an email for a back up copy. Finally, the card can be added to Apple Pay and Google Pay digital wallets but not to a MagicBand, MagicBand+, or MagicMobile. Guests can use the card to purchase food and beverage items at select participating locations at Walt Disney World. The Dining Card will have an experiration date. To learn more about using the Disney Dining Promo Card, click here.
One important thing to remember, unlike the Disney Dining Plan, the card’s value is per night, not per guest. So the reward amount is exactly the same, regardless of the number of guests per reservation. So a family of six would have the same amount as two people.
As we noted above, there has been no update on the Dining Plans status since the summer of 2021. This new promotional card may be a temporary alternative to previous “Free Dining” offers we have seen in the past, or this may be a sign that the Dining Plans will not come back. We’ll have to wait and see what happens!
