Beloved Disney Parks DOLE Whip is Coming to Your Grocery Store!

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining

That’s right, soon you can enjoy DOLE Whip treats by purchasing them at a grocery store, all without having to plan a visit to the Disney Parks.

Almost thirty years after Disneyland debuted, the original theme park that started it all got just a little bit more magical with the introduction of DOLE Whip, a pineapple-flavored soft serve, at Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Created by the DOLE Packaged Foods LLC, a long-time distributor of tropical fruit flavor, through a sponsorship with the Disneyland Resort in 1984, the dairy-free delight quickly skyrocketed to stardom, becoming a staple of Disney Parks cuisine.

Since then, Disney has added three more flavors, DOLE Whip-themed desserts, and beverages, and even celebrates DOLE Whip Day on July 21. Frequently, Disney Parks will even release specialty DOLE Pineapple Whip flavors for a limited time at exclusive locations such as Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort’s Pineapple Lanai, Swirls on the Water at Disney Springs, or Disneyland’s Tropical Hideaway.

But what about some delicious DOLE from the comfort of your home? Previously, Disney fans jonesing for their soft serve fix outside of the Walt Disney World Resort or other Disney Park would have to find a local ice cream or frozen yogurt location offering the licensed product, as DOLE only sold its DOLE Whip mixes in industrial size bags.

Moreover, if they didn’t have their own soft serve machine or ice cream maker, they would have to settle for homemade copycat recipes, whose flavor profile and authenticity often paled in comparison. Now, DOLE Whip lovers can rejoice because it seems like soon, a real DOLE Whip that’s easy to find and consume could be coming to a grocery store near you!

In fact, all you’ll have to do is walk into your grocery retailer’s frozen foods aisle, according to a new company press release. Explicitly, “Dole Whip®, a tropical frozen treat, will soon be available in three delicious flavors (pineapple, mango, and strawberry) in the freezer aisle at your local grocery store.”

Dole-Whip-Softserve

Furthermore, attendees of next week’s Southern California Expo West in Anaheim will get the first taste of the new natural product from March 7 to 11, 2023. Consumer-ready DOLE Whip, along with other unique items such as smoothie bowls, juices, dehydrated fruit snacks, and probiotic sodas are slated to hit grocery stores later this year.

Two Fan-Favorite Dining Experiences Are Changing Soon

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks

Whether visiting Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, or a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, a significant portion of the Disney experience is the dining.

Walt Disney World dining is an extra way to create memorable moments and experience that one-of-a-kind customer service and immersion that comes with a Disney vacation.

Quick service dining locations are convenient and, well, fast! But making advance dining reservations to eat at the best restaurants is a surefire way to enhance the Disney vacation.

EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival

However, the high prices can easily drive some Guests away, so the Walt Disney Company has found ways to sweeten the pot and make the experience even more enticing. This includes Character Dining as well as all-you-can-eat buffets.

That being said, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many Walt Disney World restaurants to limit their offerings. Character dining and buffets were nowhere to be found, even when the best restaurants began reopening.

Luckily, two of Walt Disney World’s most beloved dining experiences are about to return, making the exorbitant prices worth it again.

Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom will return the character dining aspect to its full potential. After this restaurant reopened, the princesses would simply wave at Guests as they walked past.

Beginning on February 28, princesses such as Ariel, Snow White, Jasmine, Aurora, and Cinderella will offer traditional meet-and-greet opportunities during the Character Dining experience.

Chef Mickey's

Over at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the signature restaurant, Chef Mickey’s, was one of the first to reopen during the pandemic. The characters were missing at first, and so was the buffet style. However, now that the characters have returned, it’s time for the buffet dining style to reappear. Beginning on March 1, buffet-style dining is again offered at Chef Mickey’s!

If you’re visiting Walt Disney World soon, prepare to get the full Disney experience at Cinderella’s Royal Table and Chef Mickey’s!

Opening Date of The Villas at Disneyland Hotel Announced!

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts

Are you ready to help clients create some family memories at a Disney Vacation Club property surrounded by some of their favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios stories? The Villas at Disneyland Hotel will open to guests on September 28, 2023!

The Villas at Disneyland Hotel will celebrate the magic of creativity and storytelling through a blend of contemporary designs and carefully curated pieces inspired by the stories, characters and worlds of Disney Animation.

This will be the fourth tower at the AAA Four Diamond, landmark Disneyland Hotel, located just steps from the Downtown Disney District, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

The lobby will feature a one-of-a-kind mural created exclusively for The Villas at Disneyland Hotel by Disney Animation artist Lorelay Bové, known for her work on classics from “The Princess and the Frog” to “Encanto.”

The Villas at Disneyland Hotel will have 344 whimsically themed rooms, including duo studios, deluxe studios, one- and two-bedroom villas, and grand villas. Each includes modern just-like-home amenities with touches of Disney magic sprinkled throughout, themed to Walt Disney Animation Studios like “The Jungle Book,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Fantasia” and more.

Guests can even soak up some inspiration during their vacation at a vibrantly colored, mid-century modern hangout for the entire family.

Here are some upcoming important dates to keep in mind:

  • Wednesday, March 15 – Disney Vacation Club Members can begin to make rental reservations by calling Member Services at (800) 800-9800
  • Thursday, March 16 – Disneyland Resort Magic Key holders can start booking rental reservations by contacting (714) 956-6425
  • Friday, March 17 – All guests can make rental reservations online or by contacting (714) 956-6425

The Villas are limited in availability and are subject to restrictions and change without notice.

Keep an eye on Disney Travel News as we continue to share more about the newest Disney Vacation Club property, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel!

The Villas at Disneyland Hotel is not yet fully registered or available for sale.  Not an offer in any jurisdiction where registration requirements have not been met. Furnishings and fixtures are subject to change. Disney Vacation Development, Inc., 1851 Community Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830.

LEGO’s MASSIVE Release of Disney Sets and Minifigures

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Calling all LEGO fans! LEGO has just revealed more items from their huge collaboration with Disney100. The collaboration includes iconic movie sets, a castle, a train, and 18 adorable miniature figures of iconic Disney characters. This collaboration is incredibly exciting for fans of LEGO and fans of Disney.

This year, the Walt Disney Company is celebrating 100 years of Walt Disney Animation. This incredible anniversary is a time for all of us to look back on the iconic characters and stories that have filled the world with wonder for the past century. In the next few months, LEGO will be rolling out an impressive lineup of new Disney sets and miniatures that are sure to make any Disney fan melt.

The showstopper of the new releases is the incredible set of mini figures. For Disney 100, LEGO is releasing 18 new character mini-figures. Many of these characters have never been seen in LEGO form before. The characters included in the release are:

  • Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey
  • Pinocchio
  • Jiminy Cricket
  • The Queen
  • Stitch 626
  • Pocahontas
  • Cruella de Vil & Dalmatian puppy
  • Miquel & Dante
  • Ernesto De La Cruz
  • Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
  • Robin Hood
  • Prince John
  • Tiana
  • Dr. Facilier
  • Queen of Hearts
  • Aurora
  • Baymax
  • Mulan & Cri-Kee
lego minifugures

The level of detail in this new set is absolutely incredible. Fans will absolutely be obsessed with these new Minifigures. They will be sold in individual blind bags, so fans can collect them all.

LEGO mini

For those looking for more than just Minifigures, LEGO is also releasing some incredible builds. They are releasing LEGO BrickHeadz, which are buildable figures. There will be BrickHeadz of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey Mouse, Snow White, and Tinker Bell. One of the most highly anticipated releases is the LEGO Disney ‘Up’ House. This set allows fans to build Carl’s iconic house from the movie Up. The set also comes with mini-figures of Carl Fredricksen, Russel, and Dug.

lego disney sets

For younger fans, LEGO is releasing the LEGO Disney Celebration Train, which is an adorable train perfect for young Disney fans. A LEGO DUPLO Disney 3 in 1 Magical Castle will also be released. This castle transforms into three different builds and is perfect for ages 3 and up.

Disney to Retheme Roller Coaster Amid Sexual Assault Allegations Against Steven Tyler

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Hollywood Studios

In December, we first reported that the ongoing refurbishment of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney’s MGM Studios) might secretly be a retheme, cutting ties with Steven Tyler. In a newly-filed lawsuit, Tyler stands accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in the 1970s.

A recent report from a Disney Cast Member, shared to Reddit by u/wampantwabbit, appears to confirm the rumor. “I mentioned a tee I wanted from RnR that they didn’t have in my size to a cast member today and she ‘confirmed’ that WDW have ‘lost the contract’ with Aerosmith and it will now be rethemed,” the Guest reported.

Of course, this is just a rumor, and front-line Disney Cast Members are often kept in the dark about any major Disney Park news. But fans have long hoped for a retheme of the ride. Even before the allegations against Tyler, many felt it was outdated. Disneyland Paris rethemed its version of the Walt Disney Studios Park ride to Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, located in Avengers Campus.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will reopen in the summer of 2023. Will it star Powerline from A Goofy Movie (1995) or another timeless rock band? Or will Steven Tyler remain? Inside the Magic will continue to report on the ride as it undergoes refurbishment.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is the only Disney Park coaster to go upside down and a must-do for all thrill-seekers! “Race along the darkened freeways of Los Angeles in a super-stretch limo to the rockin’ tunes of Aerosmith,” reads the official Disney attraction description. “Inside their Hollywood music studio, legendary rock band Aerosmith is wrapping up a recording session. When their manager tells them they’re late for a concert across town, the band invites you to ride along.”

“Hop into their gleaming limousine and speed off into the night as Aerosmith’s hard-rock harmonies fill the air. Buckle up before zooming through the city on this roller-coaster style attraction. Speed through iconic Hollywood landmarks. Maneuver past traffic jams and swoop into 3 thrilling inversions—2 rollover loops and one corkscrew—as the wind races across your face. Will you make it to the year’s biggest concert in time?”