Nestled in Fantasyland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, The Friar’s Nook is a charming quick-service eatery that captivates visitors with its delicious offerings and whimsical theming. With its diverse menu, delightful atmosphere, and convenient location, this hidden gem has become a favorite spot for guests looking to indulge in delectable comfort food during their magical Disney adventures.
The Friar’s Nook draws inspiration from classic fairy tales, and its theming revolves around a rustic, medieval-style cottage. The charming facade is adorned with vibrant colors, ornate details, and whimsical touches, creating a storybook-like ambiance that immerses guests in a magical world. Surrounding the eatery are enchanting gardens, providing a cozy and relaxing environment to enjoy a meal amidst the hustle and bustle of the theme park.
One of the highlights of The Friar’s Nook is its diverse and scrumptious menu. The eatery is best known for its delightful gourmet tater tots, which come in a variety of mouthwatering flavors like Buffalo Chicken, Loaded Buffalo Chicken, and Bratwurst and Tots. The menu also features savory macaroni and cheese dishes, perfect for those seeking comforting and flavorful meals while exploring the wonders of Fantasyland.
The Friar’s Nook’s prime location in Fantasyland makes it a convenient dining spot for families and visitors exploring the area. The outdoor seating area, complete with shaded tables and seating options that evoke a relaxed picnic vibe, is ideal for enjoying a meal or taking a quick break from the attractions. This charming eatery provides a serene and pleasant setting to refuel before continuing the adventure.
The Friar’s Nook at Magic Kingdom stands as a delightful haven for those seeking delicious comfort food amidst the magic of Fantasyland. With its whimsical theming and diverse menu, this charming eatery offers guests a memorable dining experience during their Walt Disney World escapade.
By now, it’s no secret that the latest Disney movie trend is a live-action remake. But unfortunately, these live-action movies don’t seem to strike the fancy of most fans.
Disney has put a pin in the upcoming live-action Lilo and Stitch.
According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes have affected the production of the upcoming Lilo and Stitch remake.
The Lilo and Stitch remake was originally scheduled for a Disney Plus (Disney+) release in 2024. Now that filming has been interrupted, an actual release date is currently up in the air.
Lilo and Stitch stars Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Sydney Agudong as Nani, Zach Galifianakis as Jumba, Billy Magnussen as Pleakley, and Chris Sanders who’s returning as Stitch.
An exciting afternoon parade at Magic Kingdom turned dangerous after a horse in the parade was attacked by a Guest-favorite Disney World souvenir.
Disney World fans visit the Most Magical Place on Earth 365 days a year–and for more than 365 different magical reasons. For some Guests, it’s the thrill of the theme park attractions like the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For some, it’s the excitement of the parks’ world-class entertainment offerings, like the Festival of the Lion King stage show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. And for others, the draw of the parks is simply the chance to step back into the innocence of a childhood decorated with Disney fairytales, princes, princesses, and dreams coming true.
But regardless of the reasons they visit, most Guests at Disney World love the idea and the visage of the theme parks’ parades. Over the years, there have been countless parades at the Central Florida Disney Parks. Shortly after the parks reopened following a nearly four-month-long closure in response to the global pandemic in 2020, some of Disney World’s theme parks presented character cavalcades, during which various Disney and PIXAR characters appeared as part of short pop-up-style parades as a substitute for meet-and-greet experiences with characters.
During the Christmas holiday season at Disney World, which is celebrated from early November to late December across most of the Resort, Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and a very special Christmas Day Parade as part of the magical festivities.
But among the most famous, most magical, and most beloved parades at the Walt Disney World Resort is the Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom. The exciting parade takes place twice daily at Disney World’s first theme park–at noon and 3:00 p.m. The magical event features princes, princesses, and other characters from some of Disney and PIXAR’s most beloved films like Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Frozen, Sleeping Beauty, and more.
It’s truly a fantastical experience, but occasionally, the fantasy can quickly turn into a nightmare, as it did for Guests and Cast Members who witnessed a horse in the parade become frightened by a Mickey Mouse balloon that ended up becoming wrapped around his back leg and hoof.
In an online video posted by Trinidad James, a Cast Member playing the role of Merida can be seen riding along the parade route atop her faithful steed, Angus. It’s a regal trot Angus has, even at the hands of the PIXAR Princess, who’d rather hone in on her archery skills than select a suitor. But moments later, the horse is spooked and becomes impossible to tame–all while Merida is on his back.
Cast Members accompanying Merida quickly spring into action in an attempt to calm the terrified animal. When they are unsuccessful, the Cast Member playing the role of Merida dismounts the horse, calmly walking away, before being startled as he rears, lifting his front legs up, showing his fear, and attempting to get away from the thing that initially scared him. Merida narrowly escapes injury as she bolts from the horse immediately. Guests can be seen running back from the scene playing out in front of them along Main Street, U. S. A.
The two Cast Members who accompanied Merida and Angus continue to try to calm the frightened steed, and a third Cast Member appears from the left of the screen, approaches the horse, and slowly reaches to remove the fearsome instigator–a Mickey Mouse balloon that had become wrapped around the horse’s back leg and hoof.
This isn’t the first time the Festival of Fantasy Parade took a dangerous turn. On May 11, 2018, the Maleficent dragon float in the parade suddenly burst into flames. Thankfully, the fire was extinguished, and no Guests or Cast Members were injured. The float was missing from the daytime parade for several months while it was repaired.
No word on whether Merida’s faithful steed thought the balloon was a wisp. We’re just glad there were no Guest, Cast Member, or equine injuries to report.
Earlier this year, something happened at Disneyland Resort that will forever live on as a tragic moment in Disney Park history. “Fantasmic!” is an iconic show that has been playing at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort for years. The show featured dozens of iconic Disney characters, lights, pyrotechnics, and music that dazzled fans beyond belief.
One of the show’s featured elements is the giant Fantasmic! Maleficent dragon. On April 22. 2023, a mishap during the performance at Disneyland Resort resulted in the dragon catching flames in front of Guest’s very eyes.
The Maleficent dragon, which was a massive animatronic creature, came to life during the performance, but instead of dazzling the audience with its grandeur, it burst into flames. The fire quickly spread, causing panic among Guests and staff. Thankfully, the Anaheim Fire Department was able to put out the flames, but not before it had completely destroyed the dragon. It was a surreal scene, watching one of Disneyland’s beloved attractions engulfed in flames. Thankfully, no injuries were reported among the Guests or Disneyland Cast Members.
Soon after the incident, Disney announced that performances of Fantasmic would not be happening through at least Labor Day. The statement says;
Update: Disneyland also posted an official update on the Fantasmic! attraction page:
"With the goal of delivering the best possible show for our guests, performances of Fantasmic! are paused through at least Labor Day." pic.twitter.com/VOsW8xxE3f
For months, fans have been eager to know what would be officially replacing Fantasmic. Now, Disneyland has announced that the Jambalaya Jazz Band featuring Queenie will begin performing nightly shows on a barge down the Rivers of America. The performances will begin on July 21 and will take place at 7:35 p.m.
The Jambalaya Jazz Band featuring Queenie will perform nightly on a New Orleans-themed river barge as they float down the Rivers of America at Disneyland Park starting this Friday, July 21. Three performances each night starting at 7:35 p.m. pic.twitter.com/3ht38Tg7W9
There has been no closing date for this show, but it can be presumed that it will take the place of Fantasmic! until it returns. As of now, Disney has not released any status update on Fantasmic. The show is still happening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida, so fans feel confident they will be able to bring it back safely soon.
It’s been over a decade since Marvel Studios released the very first Avengers movie in 2012, but recent happenings shed a morbid light on events from one of the earliest MCU superhero sets. While Disney and Marvel certainly hoped for the success of the comic book turned-film saga, they had no idea the massive popularity it would sustain for years. Being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe means a big payday for its lead actors, but before the super team hit the big screen for the first time, one of its main members, Jeremy Renner, consistently tried to kill himself off.
Actor Jeremy Renner, known better to Marvel fans as the Avenger Hawkeye, dominated the first news cycles of 2023 after a horrifically traumatic snow plow accident that left him literally shattered. The world was stunned and inspired by his seemingly superhuman ability to stay positive, work hard, and miraculously heal from something that should’ve easily killed him. This tragic incident and his brush with death gave new context to his actions on the Avengers set.
According to FandomWire, Jeremy Renner was actively rooting for his onscreen death as Hawkeye to the point where he would pretend to die while filming…multiple times.
Renner is quoted saying,
I just had a heart attack in every scene – I’d just be walking with… Scarlett Johansson, and just like be ugh. And they said, ‘what are you doing man?’ I’m giving you an option if you just want to kick me out of this movie. Just you know, at any given moment, if you wanna kill me off, daddy’s gonna be having a heart attack.
FandomWire suggests that his constant heart attack pranks were meant to comment on Hawkeye’s lack of character development in the script. While Renner was right about Clint Barton not receiving a ton of character depth in comparison to other Avengers, heart attacks on set may not have been the way to go about it. I mean…poor Scarlet Johansson (Black Widow).
Jeremy Renner’s humor has apparently always been a bit on the darker side, but things may have changed over the past eleven years. Not only did he survive a life-altering accident, but he has gone on to star in a handful of other Marvel Studios features as well as his own Disney+ series, which certainly gave Clint Barton/ Hawkeye the spotlight Renner was looking for.
