Top of the World Lounge at Contemporary Resort Reopening Soon

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Resorts, Magic Kingdom

Popular among Disney Vacation Club Members, the Top of the World Lounge at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is finally reopening in July after being closed since March 2020.

From a Disney Cast Member;

This summer marks the return of one of Disney Vacation Club Members’ favorite places around the neighborhood: the Top of the World Lounge atop Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

On July 11, the lounge will officially reopen to *eligible members, which upon closer inspection, reveals a few new details.

Though long gone by now, it seems our Disney Villains briefly settled in while the lounge was closed, leaving behind a few infamous portraits and accessories.

Our cast embraced this latest chapter in the lounge’s ongoing story by creating a new, Villain-inspired menu of fiendish fare – from “Cherna-Board” of meats and cheeses and herb-roasted “Unfortunate Souls Shrimp” to “Lair-Made Hummus” and “Who’s Afraid of Pork Belly Sliders” – paired with cleverly named cocktails like “The Other Side,” “The Underworld” and “Mirror Mirror Moonshine.”

Like the villains who lounged before you, toast to your travels and relish in rebellious recipes while swapping stories of wicked fun and plotting your next (vacation) escape before capping the evening with a rooftop viewing of the “Disney Enchantment” nighttime spectacular at Magic Kingdom Park.

Welcome home to Top of the World Lounge – A Villains Lair. For the most current information on operating hours and upcoming events exclusive to *eligible Members, please visit DisneyVacationClub.com.

*Ownership interests must be purchased directly from Disney Vacation Club Development, Inc. in order to have access to this offer. These options are part of Membership Extras, which are incidental benefits subject to availability, change or termination. Access to Top of the World Lounge requires a valid photo ID, digital Disney Vacation Club Membership Card and Walt Disney World Resort hotel reservation.

What’s Cooking at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Reopening June 23

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Resorts

The wait is nearly over! It’s almost time to raise the curtain and bring on the food once again at a true classic at Walt Disney World Resort. Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue will soon be opening its doors once again on June 23 for a musical extravaganza accompanied by a family-style feast. Over at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Guests will find Pioneer Hall and within its walls the Pioneer Hall Players who are ready to dance and sing their way into the hearts of our Guests!

The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue plays host to some of the best comfort food around. As the gang brings on the tunes, the servers bring on the food. Not to mention, it’s all-you-care-to-enjoy with fountain drinks and for those over 21, red and white sangria, draft beer, and wine are also included!

Whether Guests have never experienced it before or they’ve been longing for its return, this outing is not one to be missed upon reopening. 

Alrighty, it’s showtime! Let’s get into the food and drinks soon to be served up at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.

Once Guests sit down, they better have your appetite ready because the feasting begins right off the bat. The Hoop Salad is simple yet incredibly satisfying with the signature “hoop” vinaigrette topped with sharp white cheddar, cucumbers, and tomatoes. The House-made Cornbread with delicious honey butter is to die for. Guests can also nibble on the tasty Creamy Coleslaw before the main course graces their table. 

The tastebuds are in for a real treat because once Guests see what dishes will lie before them, they’ll want to chow down immediately! First up, we’ve got the Pecan-smoked BBQ Pork Ribs with BBQ sauce. This dish is a BBQ-lovers dream with delicious flavors that just melt in the mouth. The other main plate is the one, the only – the Legendary Fried Chicken – and it tastes just like how it sounds … legendary. 

What dinner is complete without some yummy side dishes? Hoop-Dee-Doo brings its A-game to the stage with its accompaniments. The Cornbread-crusted Macaroni and Cheese is an explosion of flavors and truly is the ultimate comfort food and the Home-style Mashed Potatoes pair perfectly with the fried chicken and pork ribs. And rounding out the sides is a classic – Cowboy Beans because you can’t have some BBQ without some beans!

And now for the grand finale, the delectable ‘Ma’s Famous Strawberry Shortcake topped with whipped cream and strawberries. This can’t-miss dessert is a staple of Pioneer Hall and is the perfect way to finish up your foodie evening.

Guests with dietary needs or restrictions for any of these eats should let the chef know when they check-in and they’ll get an alternative dish that’s just as delicious to enjoy while watching the show!

Now that we’ve talked about the food, we’ve got to discuss the drinks! In addition to the included beverages Guests can enjoy, there are a few new adult beverage options to sip on for an added cost. Try the new The Giddy-Up cocktail featuring the hall barkeep’s blend of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Minute Maid Premium Lemonade, and freshly brewed iced tea. Guests can also choose from an assortment of locally crafted beers including Tampa Bay Brewing Elephant Foot IPA, Cigar City Jai Alai IPA, Cigar City Maduro Brown Ale, Orange Blossom Pilsner, Central 28 UnderDuck Lager, and 3 Daughters Brewing Blonde Ale.

Aunty’s Beach House to Reopen at Aulani Resort May 25

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Resorts

Aunty’s Beach House at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, will reopen May 25, treating keiki (kids) ages 5-12 to fun and adventure and – for the first time – offering evening activities the whole family can enjoy.

Designed as a typical hale or house where kids might visit their “aunty,” the rollicking kids club puts the focus on fun. Each of the six colorful rooms is dedicated to different activities – from a movie room to computer lab, arts and crafts studio to a game room.

Parents can reserve a playtime in Aunty’s Beach House between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily for secured children’s programming. During these hours, parents may select 1.5 hours of playtime for complimentary themed activities on “Uncle’s Side” of the house or 2 hours on “Aunty’s Side” of the house for premium activities. Reservations are required, please see below for details.

Complimentary activities include interactive games and arts and crafts based on the theme of the day. Premium activities include Surf’s Up, A Surfin’, Fishin’ and Dancin’ Party with Disney friends. Children will learn about the ocean, catch a wave on carpet surfboards with Max and get the somewhat wacky lowdown on fishing Hawai‘i waters with Goofy.

And now, the whole family can get in on the fun with “after hours” activities from 4-9 p.m. when Aunty’s Beach House turns into an evening entertainment venue. Families can choose from an assortment of complimentary and premium activities where they can learn to play the ‘ukulele, get together for a lesson in animation, or make lasting memories with photo opportunities in front of surfing scenes and other colorful backdrops.

Aunty’s Beach House reopens with new operations, safety and health protocols in place. Among them: face covering requirements, capacity limits, physical distancing, spacing between craft benches and play areas and temperature checks.

Reservations for Aunty’s Beach House are required and will begin on May 11 at 10 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time (1 p.m. PDT) for reservations on May 25. Reservations can be made up to two weeks in advance by calling (808) 674-6943 from 7 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. daily. Programs are subject to change.

New! Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Cabin Tour Videos

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Resorts, Hollywood Studios

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a revolutionary two-night experience where your clients are the heroes. Now, travel advisors can get a look inside each of the different cabins. These videos are also great to share with clients who are looking to book this out-of-this-galaxy voyage.

Seven new cabin tour videos are now available to view on the Disney Travel Professionals YouTube channel. These video tours offer an inside look at each of the cabin types, from a Standard Cabin to the Grand Captain’s Suite.

Visit the Disney Travel Professionals YouTube page now to tour!

Disney Has Just Given Us a Ton of New Details About “Hey, Disney”

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Resorts, Uncategorized

We live in a world where we have access to everything we could ever want to know at the tips of our fingers. We can program nearly everything to happen remotely — from turning on the coffee pot at a specific time, turning our lights on and off, and even locking our doors if we leave the house and forget to. Disney has slowly been integrating those technological advances into its theme park experience, and soon, more tech will be coming to select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Later this year, Disney Guests will have a new — and complimentary — feature in their hotel rooms. It is called “Hey, Disney” — as Disney teamed up with Amazon and its Alexa programming — and will give you a whole new world of features to take advantage of and enhance your Disney experience. Disney Parks Blog shared more information on the fun, new tech coming to the Most Magical Place on Earth.

There’s a magical new digital voice assistant ready to bring Disney characters and stories to life called “Hey Disney!” Using Alexa technology for supported Amazon Echo devices, you’ll be able to ask all the useful questions – weather forecasts, set timers and alarms, etc. – and get answers from more than 25 popular characters including Mickey Mouse, Olaf, Rocket and Groot, Princess Tiana and many more. Plus, when you stay at select Disney Resort hotels, you can use “Hey Disney!” to learn helpful information about your vacation, order room amenities and more. Wondering when the next bus to EPCOT leaves or need to request more towels for your room? Just ask the Disney Magical Companion, a new character who will interact with you via “Hey Disney!”

Hey Disney!’ will begin rolling out in select Disney Resort hotel guest rooms across Walt Disney World later this year as part of our 50th anniversary celebration. Access will be offered as an optional, complimentary feature during guest stays.

Hey Disney

What’s even more exciting, those who have an Amazon Echo device in their home will also be able to take part in the “Hey, Disney” fun! Guests can purchase “Hey, Disney” for any Amazon Echo via the Amazon Alexa Skills Store. If you have purchased Disney’s new Magicband+ — which is not on sale just yet — it will also pair with “Hey, Disney” on your Amazon Echo device.

Hey Disney

Disney has said that the “Hey, Disney” feature is coming to select hotels for the 50th Anniversary. The 50th will only run until March 2023 and Disney has not said if the feature will become a permanent fixture after that. We will just have to wait and see what Disney has to say when it finally releases “Hey, Disney” at hotels.