We are more than three months into Florida’s hurricane season and, so far, things have been quiet. While there has been some wild weather at the Walt Disney World Parks, the state has had to deal with nothing more than severe storms, and hurricanes have been non-existent. However, things are now changing, and several storms have formed recently, and one of them could be headed right for the Sunshine State.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Depression Nine is making its way through the Caribbean, and it is strengthening. The National Hurricane Center is reporting that Tropical Depression Nine is expected to form into Hurricane Ian — and they expect it to hit Florida as a Category 3 storm. The announcement prompted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to issue a State of Emergency for 24 counties in the state.
Tropical Depression Nine formed in the Caribbean on Friday with a path that could bring it to Florida next week as a major Category 3 hurricane prompting Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency in 24 counties.
“This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations,” he said. “We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm.”
DeSantis also requested a federal emergency declaration ahead of landfall that would free up funding sources for emergency protective measures. The counties in the order are Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and St. Lucie.
Not in the order are Orange, Lake, Seminole or Volusia.
It should be noted that Walt Disney World Resort lies in both Orange and Osceola counties. So, based on what counties are a part of the State of Emergency, it appears that Disney World could be on the outskirts of the worst parts of the storm.
If you are at Disney World when a hurricane hits, Disney has plenty of procedures in place to keep you safe. Outdoor rides — like Test Track, Slinky Dog Dash, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train — will shut down until the weather clears up. If things get bad, Disney will shut the Parks down and keep Guests inside their hotels until things are safe, and they can open back up.
When you take a Walt Disney World vacation, you know that it will be pretty easy for Disney to know what you are up to. They know where you are staying, what Parks you are visiting on what days, and even what attractions you are riding — between Disney Genie+, PhotoPass, and the Disney MagicBand. Disney also keeps track of your watching habits when you use its streaming platform, Disney+.
However, what if you were told that Disney plans on actively tracking you, then combining the data that they have from you — from your time in the Parks and your Disney streaming habits — to customize both your Disney vacation and Disney+?
Well, according to a recently leaked investor call, that is exactly what Disney is planning on doing. Disney CEO Bob Chapek was on a call with Disney shareholders and said:
If we can have a universal Guest experience, recognize that a person who spent seven days in the Park, 24 hours a day, and we know all that information about them, is the exact same person who watches XYZ on Disney+. We can identify that person as the same one and they give us the ability to use the data that way, we can now customize and personalize an experience way beyond anything we’ve ever been able to do before, bringing now the two pieces of the Walt Disney Company into one for one common Guest experience that will give us a competitive advantage. Because who else has got the physical, deep physical data that you get on somebody if they spend 7 days and they essentially live with you for a week? And then how does that affect what they see on Disney+?
So, Disney+ will be conscious of what you do in a Park and will then feed you information, not on people that look like you in terms of viewing habits, people that watch this watch that, therefore, we’ll feed you this — we’ll do it specifically on what you did during your seven days and visca versa. What you watch on Disney+ will have an impact on your Guest experience at the Parks.
And I think that’s going to put us in a tremendous position of competitive advantage.
Even though Disney is capable of tracking your movements in the theme parks and your watching habits on Disney+, the company has not said how they will combine the two to customize the Guest experience.
Disney KiteTails debuted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park for the launch of the 50th Anniversary celebration of Walt Disney World Resort. After this first year, we will transition the entertainment on Discovery River Lagoon to the Flotillas. The last flight for Disney KiteTails will be September 30, 2022.
We look forward to seeing our guests continue waving to their Disney Friends cruising by on Flotillas, embracing Disney pals with up-close encounters, and more to come as we introduce our Festive holiday season offerings in the months ahead.
Come ghoulish foodies –these treats will take anyone away. The theme parks and Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort are ready for the Halloween season with mouth watering goodies that will leave guests and their taste buds spellbound.
The chefs and mixologists have conjured up some truly unforgettable items everyone will be dying to try. In a season full of sweets, eats, and tricks, guests are in for quite the culinary delight. With the can’t-miss Minnie Ghost Pinata from The Ganachery at Disney Springs, the Pumpkin Mousse from The Trolley Car Café at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Caramelized Apple Liege Waffle over at Connections Café in EPCOT, and some adorable novelties to bring the fun home, this year is not to be missed.
Get ready for some culinary magic because Halloween is coming to Walt Disney World Resort and we’ve got all the goodies everyone has been waiting for!
EPCOT
Connections Café
Caramelized Apple Liege Waffle with caramelized white chocolate and graham cracker streusel (New) (Available October 4 through 31)
Dark Chocolate Halloween Cupcake with dark chocolate mousse (New)(Available October 28 through 31)
Connections Eatery
Donald Candy Corn Sipper including choice of fountain beverage (Coming Soon)
Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue
S’mores Brownie with a pumpkin Mickey (New)(Available October 28 through 31)
Donald Candy Corn Sipper including choice of fountain beverage (Coming Soon)
Sunshine Seasons
Monster Mousse: Caramel mousse and apple-caramel filling on a shortbread cookie (New)(Available October 28 through 31)
Donald Candy Corn Sipper including choice of fountain beverage (Coming Soon)
Available at Fife & Drum and Popcorn Carts near Canada, Journey Into Imagination With Figment, Creations Shop, and Mission: SPACE
Glow-in-the-Dark Mickey Mummy Popcorn Bucket
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
ABC Commissary(Available October 1 through 31)
Black Widow Tart: Spiced milk chocolate tart filled with orange curd, pomegranate molasses whipped cream, candied orange peel, and a dark chocolate spider (New)
Frozen Apple Cider: Frozen apple cider topped with green apple boba balls
Spiced Caramel Apple: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, cranberry and salted caramel
Donald Candy Corn Sipper including choice of fountain beverage (Coming Soon)
Backlot Express(Available October 1 through 31)
Graveyard Cupcake: Fudge-filled Chocolate cupcake topped with cookies and cream buttercream, chocolate cookie tombstone, white chocolate bone, and Halloween sprinkles
Frozen Apple Cider: Frozen apple cider topped with green apple boba balls
Spiced Caramel Apple: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, cranberry and salted caramel
Donald Candy Corn Sipper including choice of fountain beverage (Coming Soon)
Catalina Eddie’s(Available October 1 through 31)
Pumpkin Patch Cookie: Pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookie topped with pumpkin spice buttercream and pumpkin candies (New)
Dockside Diner(Available October 1 through 31)
Mickey Mummy Cookie: Mickey-shaped chocolate cookie with white chocolate mint frosting
Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge(Available October 1 through 31)
Sweet Poison: Coconut rum, blue curaçao beverage syrup, rum, and pineapple juice
Spiced Caramel Apple: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, cranberry and salted caramel
Hollywood Scoops(Available October 1 through 31)
Candy Corn Milkshake: Candy corn ice cream shake topped with a vanilla cake doughnut, whipped cream, spooky sprinkles, and candy corn
Oasis Canteen(Available October 1 through 31)
Spiced Caramel Apple: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, cranberry and salted caramel
PizzeRizzo(Available October 1 through 31)
Halloween Candy Cookie Pizza: Sugar cookie “pizza” topped with strawberry jam, white chocolate, Halloween candy, and sprinkles (New)
Frozen Apple Cider: Frozen apple cider topped with green apple boba balls
Spiced Caramel Apple: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, cranberry and salted caramel
Donald Candy Corn Sipper including choice of fountain beverage (Coming Soon)
Rosie’s All-American Cafe(Available October 1 through 31)
Mickey Mummy Cookie: Mickey-shaped chocolate cookie with white chocolate mint frosting (New)
Frozen Apple Cider: Frozen apple cider topped with green apple boba balls
Spiced Caramel Apple: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, cranberry and salted caramel
Donald Candy Corn Sipper including choice of fountain beverage (Coming Soon)
Sunshine Day Bar(Available October 1 through 31)
Spiced Caramel Apple: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, cranberry and salted caramel
Tune-In Lounge(Available October1 through 31)
Spiced Caramel Apple: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, cranberry and salted caramel
The Trolley Car Café (Available October 1 through 31)
Pumpkin Mousse: Pumpkin cheesecake with a cinnamon sugar dusted apple cider cake, raspberry dark chocolate stem and purple buttercream (New)
Woody’s Lunchbox(Available October 1 through 31)
Pumpkin Lunch Box Tart: Pumpkin pie filled pastry tart with marshmallow fondant, candy corn,and Halloween sprinkles (New)
Available at Various Food Carts Throughout the Park(Available October 1 through 31)
Mickey Brownie: Chocolate brownie with Halloween sprinkles
Halloween Popcorn sponsored by Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween
Available at Animation Courtyard, Hollywood Boulevard, and Hyperion Theater Popcorn Carts(Available October 1 through 31)
Glow-in-the-Dark Mickey Mummy Popcorn Bucket
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Available at Mahindi, The Feeding Ground, Corn-Ivores, and Trek Snacks
Glow-in-the-Dark Mickey Mummy Popcorn Bucket
Disney Springs
Amorette’s Patisserie
Black Flame Candle Petit Cake: Devil’s Food biscuit, apricot jam, brandy simple syrup, caramel mousse, and candied pecan crunch (New)(Available September 30 through October 31)
Pumpkin Apple Tart: Pumpkin spice mousse, red wine poached apple, and hazelnut crunch (Available September 5through October 31)
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée: Pumpkin crème brûlée, cranberry compote, cran-cherry yogurt cream, and a spiced sable cookie (Available through October 31)
Dockside Margarita(Available through October 31)
Monster Margarita: Patron Silver Tequila, Grand Marnier, sweet-and-sour, black cherry, green apple, and lime juice
The Ganachery
Minnie Ghost Pinata: Dark chocolate pinata filled with treats (Available through October 31)
Sisters’ Elixir Hot Cocoa Bomb: Dark chocolate cauldron filled with house made cocoa mix and marshmallows(Available September 30 through October 31)
Caramel Skulls: Dark chocolate filled with caramel ganache (Available through October 31)
Pumpkin Chai Latte Ganache Squares: Pumpkin chai latte ganache enrobed in milk chocolate (Available through October 31)
Apple Whiskey Ganache Squares: Apple whiskey ganache enrobed in milk chocolate (New)(Available through October 31)
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar(Available through October 31)
Autumn Smash: Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, pear nectar, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cinnamon stick garnish
Marketplace Snacks(Available through October 31)
Jack Skellington Bubble Waffle Sundae: Chocolate soft-serve, marshmallow fluff, hot fudge, orange sprinkles, chocolate shavings, chocolate pocky sticks, and a chocolate Jack Skellington garnish (New)
Outdoor Vending Throughout Disney Springs(Available through October 31)
Sour Apple Margarita: Patron Silver Tequila, Cointreau Liqueur, sour apple pucker, Granny Apple Smith, sweet-and-sour, and lime juice
Ghoul Juice: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Blue Curaçao, sweet-and-sour, cranberry juice, and grenadine
Today, at Disney’s 2022 D23 expo, it was teased by Josh D’Amaro, Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, that DinoLand, U.S.A., could be completely reworked in an upcoming project.
Nothing was confirmed, nor were there any dates or specific themes given, but concept art was revealed from the “blue sky” idea. “Blue sky” is basically a design process that allows Disney Imagineers to think outside the box and not worry about budgets, not yet at least.
Below is the concept art for a potential DinoLand U.S.A. overhaul:
The Dinoland, U.S.A. section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is somewhat divisive among Disney Parks fans. Some love the carnival-themed area, while others feel that it should be rethemed to feature a recent Disney IP, such as Raya and the Last Dragon (2021).
It is worth noting that, at this time, Disney World officials have not confirmed what will replace the Primeval Whirl Wild Mouse-style ride or if Dinoland, U.S.A. will be rethemed at any point in the near future. For now, Guests can continue to visit the area where carnival games, the Restaurantosaurs quick service location, and the Triceratops Spin ride are all available.
DinoLand, U.S.A. features what is possibly Disney World’s scariest attraction with DINOSAUR, a time-traveling adventure. DINOSAUR opened alongside the Animal Kingdom Park in April of 1998, although it had a different name and offered a slightly different experience. DINOSAUR is an intense, exciting, and downright prehistoric trip through time, letting Guests witness the moments just before the dinosaurs were wiped out of existence due to an asteroid impact. As its slogan states, “It’s fast, it’s a blast, It’s in the past!”.
