The 2023 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE is right around the corner, and today, we’re excited to share more details – including a brand-new experience that brings a whole new meaning to molecular gastronomy!
From July 27 to November 18, guests can take a culinary tour across six continents at this celebration of cuisine from around the world. From delectable Global Marketplaces and fresh new merch to nightly live entertainment, there’s so much for guests of all ages to enjoy.
Flavorful Fun is Brew-Wing at Odyssey
Don your lab coats and prepare to experiment with delicious flavors as Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey invites guests on a flavorful adventure, featuring the culinary creations – and madcap mishaps – of Muppet Labs!
That’s right – Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his faithful assistant, Beaker, of Muppet Labs will welcome Guests to their taste-testing headquarters, where the inventive duo are busy creating scientific snacks and mind-blowing beverages. Guests will have a chance to sample some of their kooky concoctions like the Unnecessarily Spicy, Yet Extremely Tasty Scotch Bonnet Pepper-Curry Wings, or the Pickle Milkshake. Consider it a flavor experiment in the name of science!
Global Marketplaces to Satisfy Every Palate
Get ready to sip and savor at more than 25 Global Marketplaces including returning favorites such as The Fry Basket, Flavors from Fire, Canada, India and Spain marketplaces. Also coming later this fall, the culinary team will add four new Global Marketplaces to commemorate the Disney100 celebration: Char & Chop, Wine & Wedge, Bubbles & Brine and Swirled Showcase. Stay tuned to the Disney Travel News, where more details will be shared in a Foodie Guide soon.
Sizzling Sounds at America Gardens Theatre
Wrap up a fun-filled day by enjoying live musical entertainment at the Eat to the Beat Concert Series presented by Florida Blue Medicare, featuring a blend of chart-topping musical acts and a taste of Orlando’s local talent. Guests can secure a spot for these performances with an Eat to the Beat Dining Package.
Note that to experience any in-park offerings, guests must have valid theme park admission and may need a theme park reservation depending on type of admission and date of visit. The ability to visit a theme park is subject to the park’s capacity limitations. As we continue to count down the days until the beginning of the festival, stay tuned to Disney Travel News for more updates.
July is almost here, with it lots of unique and limited-time treats at Disney Parks that celebrate Independence Day! Some of these items are available the entire month of July, and some just for a few days, so take a look below to see what you can enjoy at Disney Parks in July!
From a Disney Cast Member;
Get ready to get patriotic! Fourth of July is just around the corner and here at Disney Parks, the culinary teams have been bursting with delicious ideas to fill your stomach. From Walt Disney World Resort to Disneyland Resort, there are plenty of tasty ways to celebrate Independence Day this year.
If you’re looking for sweet or savory selections to satisfy your taste buds, you’ll be happy to indulge in new items like the Fourth of July Shake from Sunshine Seasons and the Red, White & Blue Sundae from Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream. There’s also a variety of returning favorites to get a taste of, including the Lemon Mousse Cake at Roaring Fork. I think it’s time we light up your appetite with the full list of can’t-miss items coming to Disney Parks this Fourth of July. Let’s get to the Foodie Guide!
Walt Disney World Resort
EPCOT
Connections Cafe (Available July 4 only)
Fourth of July Liege Waffle: Brioche dough with pearl sugar
Fife & Drum (Currently available)
The American Dream: Frozen Fanta Wild Cherry, vanilla ice cream, and Frozen Fanta Blue Raspberry slushy
Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue (Currently available; mobile order available)
Celebrate the regions of American backyard barbecue with classic dishes (Some plant-based items available on the menu)
Sunshine Seasons (Available July 1 through 31)
Fourth of July Shake: Red velvet shake with whipped cream and red velvet cake pieces
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Backlot Express (Available July 1 through 31)
Mickey Apple Pie Cupcake: Yellow cupcake filled with an apple pie filling, topped with a salted caramel buttercream, cinnamon streusel, and garnished with rainbow silver sparkle and red, white, and blue Mickey Ears
Woody’s Lunchbox (Available July 1 through 31)
4th of July Lunch Box Tart: Cherry pie filling, vanilla fondant, and star sprinkles
Disney Resort Hotels
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, and Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Intermission Food Court, World Premiere Food Court, and End Zone Food Court (Available through August 31; mobile order available)
Sweet Summertime Favorites: Hot dog éclair with chocolate buttercream, iced sugar cookie ‘fries’, and raspberry dipping sauce
Disney’s BoardWalk
BoardWalk Deli and Carousel Coffee (Available June 27 through July 4)
Independence Day Cupcake: Cinnamon cupcake, apple pie filling, and vanilla mascarpone cream
Freedom Cheesecake: Red velvet brownie base, vanilla cheesecake, sweet cream, crisp pearls, and white chocolate garnish
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Contempo Café (Available July 1 through 8; mobile order available) Fourth of July Fruit Tart: Blackberry custard topped with fresh berries and a vanilla panna cotta popsicle
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Centertown Market and Spyglass Grill (Available July 1 through 31; mobile order available)
Star-spangled Brownie Bar: Graham cracker crust and chocolate chip fudgy brownie topped with a brown butter caramel mousse, popping candy, and chocolate décor
Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Good’s Food to Go and The Artist’s Palette (Available June 27 through July 4; mobile order available at The Artist’s Palette only)
Fourth of July Layer Cake: Layers of red velvet cake with white and blue buttercream filled with a patriotic sprinkle surprise
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, Riverside Mill Food Court (Available July 1 through 31; mobile order available)
Star-spangled Brownie Bar: Graham cracker crust and chocolate chip fudgy brownie topped with a brown butter caramel mousse, popping candy, and chocolate décor
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Bar Riva (Available June 30 through July 14)
Patriotic Wave: The Mediterranean Wave with the addition of blue curaçao and hibiscus to celebrate both Independence Day and Bastille Day
Le Petit Café (Available June 27 through July 4)
Patriotic Top Hat: Vanilla bean cheesecake with morello cherries on a Riviera brownie (New)
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Roaring Fork (Available June 27 through July 4; mobile order available)
Lemon Mousse Cake: Lemon cake and white chocolate lemon mousse with a blueberry compote center and chocolate star décor
Available at Various Disney Resort Hotels (Available June 30 through July 9)
Red, White, and Blue Colada: Bacardi Raspberry Rum blended with flavors of coconut, pineapple, and raspberry purée topped with a float of Bols Blue Curaçao
Red, White, and Blue Gin and Tonic: Empress 1908 Gin, tonic water, and cranberry and pomegranate juices (New)
Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Park
Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (Available July 1 through 4; mobile order available)
Fourth of July Donut: Cotton candy icing donut filled with strawberry compote, red, white, and blue whipped topping and sprinkles (New)
Plaza Inn (Available July 4 only)
Fourth of July Dining Package: Slow roasted BBQ pork, fried chicken thigh, smoked sausage, watermelon wedge, small corn on the cob, broccoli salad, sharp cheddar mac & cheese, bread roll, specialty dessert, and specialty beverage (New) (Reservations strongly encouraged) (Kids version available)
Disney California Adventure Park
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (Available June 30 through July 5; mobile order available)
Red, White & Blue Sundae: Strawberry and blueberry sorbets topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream, and sprinkles in a waffle bowl (New)
Disneyland Hotel
The Coffee House (Available June 30 through July 9; mobile order available) Red, White, and Blue Cupcake (New)
Downtown Disney District
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes (Available June 30 through July 4)
Red, White, and Blue CakeShake: Vanilla shake featuring a vanilla frosted rim with red, white, and blue sprinkles topped with red, white, and blue cake, whipped cream, more sprinkles, and a cherry
Blue Ribbon Corn Dog (Available July 4 only)
Fourth of July Mozzarella Dog: Red, white, and blue mozzarella cheese, dipped in batter, rolled in panko crumbs, fried, rolled in sugar, and served with a side of sriracha dipping sauce (New)
Available at Various Locations at Disneyland Resort including Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen, Pooh Corner, Trolley Treats, Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff, and Marceline’s Confectionery (Available June 30 through July 4)
Fourth of July Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel with marshmallow ears, enrobed in blue-colored white chocolate and red-colored white chocolate, striped with white chocolate, and sprinkled with sugar stars
Fourth of July Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallows dipped in caramel, enrobed in blue, white chocolate and red, white chocolate, striped with white chocolate, and sprinkled with sugar stars
Fourth of July Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat enrobed in blue, white chocolate and red, white chocolate, striped with white chocolate, and sprinkled with sugar stars
Fourth of July Cake Pop
No matter the time of year, there are endless possibilities for foodie fun at Disney Parks.
I hope you have a lovely (and tasty) Fourth of July!
(Note: All offerings are subject to change and availability.)
When it comes to planning a trip to Walt Disney World Resort, one of the most critical factors that Guests consider is the crowd levels. Disney World is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and as a result, it can get very crowded at times.
Fans hoping to experience the Parks in a less busy state often will be strategic in picking the best time and dates for their trip. Often, fans use a crowd calendar to monitor when would be a good time to vacation. Weekends, special events, school vacations, and holidays are usually times when Guests can expect heavy crowds in the Parks. However, that might now be the case this holiday weekend.
Usually, the Fourth of July is one of the busiest times to visit the Parks all year long. This weekend is very popular amongst families who are trying to spend some quality time on the long weekend. Walt Disney World Resort will be offering an incredible selection of entertainment, food, and fireworks, making it the perfect place to celebrate America’s birthday.
While the Disney Parks are definitely busy this holiday weekend, the numbers are shockingly lower than in previous years. Thrill-data.com is a website that compares crowd levels and wait times in Disney Parks. The data from their website shows that wait times for the 2023 weekend at Magic Kingdom Park are 30% less than in 2022 and 2019.
This trend is also being seen in the other Parks at Walt Disney World Resort. This brings up the question: is the influx of post-pandemic vacations finally over? It seems that things may be back to normal or even less busy than before as far as crowd level goes. It will be fascinating to see how this all plays out as Halloween and the Holiday season at the theme Park approaches closer.
Florida’s Division of Emergency Management has issued serious warnings that affect visitors at the Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida.
Unless you’ve been vacationing somewhere in the Arctic Circle, you’ve likely heard about the heat wave gripping the southern United States. Temperatures have been soaring across Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, and the sweltering heat is expanding as far as the states of Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Florida over the past few days. But this is no ordinary heat wave (if there even is such a thing). The excessive heat that’s holding residents and visitors in the southern U. S. states hostage in recent days is due to a massive “heat dome” that seems to have firmly planted itself in the skies above.
A “heat dome” is a weather phenomenon that occurs “when the atmosphere traps hot ocean air like a lid or cap,” according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As part of this phenomenon, “high-pressure circulation in the atmosphere acts like a dome or cap, trapping heat at the surface and favoring the formation of a heat wave.”
Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon explains that a heat dome occurs when “stationary high pressure with warm air combines with warmer than usual air in the Gulf of Mexico and heat from the sun that is nearly directly overhead.” In layman’s terms, it’s hot. It’s scorching. It’s unbelievably, unnecessarily hot, and according to weather experts, temperatures may continue to soar.
This week, the city of Dallas, Texas, won the #1 spot on the list of hottest cities in the country, an accolade with which even Texans aren’t completely familiar. So what does this have to do with Florida and those who are visiting the Walt Disney World Resort?
The Texas heat wave has been expanding, and Florida is currently feeling the heat from the heat dome effect that initially began in the Lone Star State, and the reasons behind the expanding heat are probably two-fold: first, many Texans are friendly, and we don’t mind sharing with everyone so it makes sense to share the heat with our friends in Florida, and second, the very nature of heat domes and heat waves causes them to expand, meaning that the area under the heat dome often grows in size, encompassing nearby states–and some states hundreds of miles away.
According to The New York Times, more than 62 million Americans live in areas of the country that are expected to experience dangerously high heat levels this week. That’s nearly 20% of the population of the contiguous United States. The map below shows areas with dangerously high heat indices. Areas in dark orange are expected to see a heat index of between 103 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
When it’s hot outside, the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke increase, and symptoms of both can pop up quickly and with little warning. Overexposure to extremely high temperatures can have devastating consequences for people of every age.
As such, Florida’s Division of Emergency Management has issued warnings to residents and visitors in Florida.
“As Florida experiences heat waves and high temperatures, residents and visitors are encouraged to stay hydrated and cool to avoid heat-related illnesses,” the Division of Emergency Management tweeted on Wednesday.
☀️ As Florida experiences heat waves & high temperatures, residents & visitors are encouraged to stay hydrated & cool to avoid heat-related illnesses.
— FL Division of Emergency Management (@FLSERT) June 27, 2023
The National Weather Service located in Melbourne, Florida, echoed that sentiment, warning people that staying hydrated and taking breaks to cool off are imperative.
HOT temperatures are expected through this upcoming weekend! 🥵
If spending time outside, stay hydrated and take plenty of breaks in the shade or in the air conditioning. Take the time to learn the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke is an emergency! pic.twitter.com/DtRMS3MQYG
Both entities shared information about heat exhaustion and heat stroke with the graphic below, which gives information about the symptoms for both.
If you’ll be outside in the heat for any length of time, it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol. It’s also important to use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and to take frequent breaks in the shade or in the air conditioning. This is especially important for Guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort, as symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke can be more difficult to identify when Guests are focused on rides, attractions, and experiences.
Some wholesome news is always welcome in this day and age, and this time it is courtesy of an author’s young son and Disney’s Princess Belle. If there is one leading characteristic of Beauty and the Beast’s (1991) lead Disney Princess, it is that she loves books! In a gesture of kindness toward his author mother and towards Belle’s love of books, Noah Harmel created his own magical Disney moment.
At Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Belle meets Guests in her blue and white village dress at the France pavilion of EPCOT. During the day, Noah’s father, Jason, brought him to meet the princess for one sweet reason – to deliver Belle a book he was sure she hadn’t read yet. The book is called The Paris Daughter and is a new work from his New York Times Best Selling Author mother, Kristin Harmel.
Kristin Harmel’s book, The Paris Daughter, follows a young woman who travels to Paris after inheriting a mysterious painting from her mother, whom she never knew. While in Paris, she discovers secrets about her mother’s past. It includes her romantic relationships and the confrontation of her fears and insecurities. The novel explores themes of family, identity, love, and the power of art to connect us across time and distance.
This book sounds like Belle’s kind of book! It’s got adventure, and romance, and France! Noah really focused in on his mom’s target audience, and Belle looked thrilled by his gift! Here’s how Kristin Harmel captioned her Facebook post about the interaction:
So today, while I was getting my hair cut, Jason took Noah to deliver a copy of The Paris Daughter to Belle (as a cute little surprise to me!) in France in Epcot! Apparently Noah told her it was a gift because he figured she has already read all the books in her library!
Maybe it was just a promotion for her new book, but sweet and unique character interactions are always the best! Hopefully, Belle enjoys reading the book and will give us her review soon.
