Walls Go Up around the Closed Sosa Cigar Shop in Disney Springs. Longtime Disney Springs tenant Sosa Family Cigar Co. Shop in Disney Springs permanently closed on January 2nd, 2023.
Recognized as one of the country’s leading Cigar Retailers, Sosa’s family-run shop stocks over 80 acclaimed cigar brands—including hard-to-find Opus X and Fuente Hemingway—and has been in the industry for over 70 years!
Now Disney Springs crews have moved fast. The day after the closure the name and logo were gone from the front of the store, now walls have gone up and the whole facade is missing and being redone.
New MaDe Kiosk Now Available at Dinosaur Exit. Back in 2020, Disney changed the D-Tech name to the new MADE. MADE is a new and expanded way to customize and create your own Disney merchandise. Disney lists it as “the ultimate destination for customized mobile phone cases, MagicBands, accessories, and more.”
Prior to last week, you could only find these kiosks in certain parks and at Disney Springs. Now Disney has opened a brand new one in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Dino Institute Gift Shop at the exit to Dinosaur!
With MADE, you’ll now be able to create customized apparel, including short and long-sleeved T-shirts, (even Disney Springs designs) from a library of Disney art to celebrate everything from family vacations, birthdays, seasonal holidays, and more. (Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to customize phone cases, MagicBands, magnets, and commemorative bricks as well.)
Creating your design is as easy as selecting the accessory or apparel item you’d like to customize, Disney art, choosing a color, and adding your name. Purchases are ready for pick-up in just a few hours or conveniently delivered to your Disney resort or shipped home.
The Disneyland park calendar currently only goes through April 3, so we don’t have a reopening date for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Chances are this closure will be for regular maintenance.
There are quite a few other closures in the Disneyland park right now. Indiana Jones Adventure is closed and will be through at least April 3. French Market restaurant is currently closed while it is rethemed to Tiana’s Palace.
Keep this closure in mind if you plan to visit Disneyland this spring!
If you’d like help planning your next Disneyland vacation, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation!
French Market at Disneyland is now closed to make way for Tiana’s Palace
French Market and Mint Julep Bar at Disneyland are both now closed to make way for Tiana’s Palace! The dining locations are being transformed to include Tiana in the New Orleans Square area of the park.
Tiana’s Palace will be the newest restaurant on Orleans Street. Within its peach-colored walls and fancy green wrought-iron balconies, you’ll find elegant fixtures and appointments reminiscent of Tiana’s life and friendships. The new Tiana’s Palace will have much of the same pinch of pizzazz and flair as the restaurant from the film, offering authentic New Orleans flavors inspired by Tiana’s friends and adventures in this quick-service style restaurant. While Tiana’s Palace is not a character dining location, guests may find Tiana in New Orleans Square.
Construction walls are now up around French Market and Mint Julep Bar. While the restaurant is under construction, guests can enjoy eats at Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country.
The menu at Tiana’s Palace will expand on many of the current favorites served in the location, explore seasonal flavors and, of course, offer some New Orleans classics. Tiana’s Palace is sure to be a gathering place for friends and family to enjoy great food and celebrate together, just like Tiana and her father James dreamed of.
We don’t have an exact opening date for Tiana’s Palace yet, but it will be sometime this summer! Are you looking forward to the new dining spot to open?
If you’d like to plan your next visit to the Disneyland Resort, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
Full Menu Released for April Opening of Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Narcoossee’s is reopening at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort on April 1! The reimagining is almost complete and guests will once again be able to enjoy updated classics and new epicurean delights. Take a look at the full menu!
As you enter your first course, you’ll continue to be met with masterfully crafted dishes. For years, the Bisque has been a mainstay on the menu, so flavor connoisseurs will be thrilled to see it return, but now with an enhanced tableside presentation. The culinary team has also created two new starters. First up, the Beef and Ricotta Tortelloni accompanied by luscious brown butter, parsnip puree, and sultana raisins.
Next, the Ocean-inspired Charcuterie Board is a fresh take on a classic featuring ahi tuna pastrami, charred octopus, and house-made sausage from the sea. This plate is a true collaboration, with each component representing the style of a different chef on the Narcoossee’s team.
Moving on to the main course of your dining experience, the team has sourced sustainable seafood from both local waters and around the globe, including Chef Noah’s signature dish, the Blackened Redfish. This meal is served with a crispy chorizo-sunchoke hash with hominy, Florida sweet corn, and red pepper rouille. What makes this fish a standout is the secret blend of blackened spice which has been passed down from chef to chef of the location, with each culinary mastermind finding their own unique way to feature it on the menu.
Plant-based diners will be delighted with the Roasted Vegetable Paella featuring market vegetables, cannellini beans, and preserved artichoke finished with charred Meyer lemon. Those looking for land-based fare will savor the new Dry-Aged Pork Ribeye Chop served with creamy goat cheese-potato pave and turnips with onion jam and a touch of fig jus.
Of course, chef has kept Narcoossee’s guest favorites like the Plancha-seared Scallops with Parisian Gnocchi and Surf and Turf featuring tender filet mignon and butter-poached lobster tail on the menu for new and returning guests to indulge in.
The dessert course also features a favorite that has garnered near legendary status over the years amongst diners of Narcoossee’s – Chef Kristine’s incredible Almond-crusted Cheesecake with Lambert cherry sauce and Chantilly cream.
When developing the new additions to the dessert menu, the pastry team was inspired by bright flavors that really complement the overall experience. The Berry Pavlova, for instance, is artfully crafted with Florida fresh berries and citrus delicately placed over meringue and yuzu crémeux and finished with a tableside pour of anglaise. The Pineapple Bavarois is truly a work of art with a roasted-pineapple center and house-made blackberry-buttermilk ice cream. These dishes make for a perfect and sweet finish to a memorable evening.
This waterfront hideaway is the ideal spot to wind down with a fabulous cocktail or zero-proof beverage. The wine list has been refreshed to reflect a diverse portfolio of varietals, with Proprietor Matt Cristi and the sommeliers on his team available to help you create the perfect pairing for each dish. Our team of mixologists have also thoughtfully curated a new cocktail program, inspired by the Victorian era. A must-try is the signature Empress Lime Gimlet, a modern twist on a classic gimlet with Empress Gin, Rockey’s Botanical Liqueur, and cold-pressed lime.
The reopening of Narcoossee’s comes as part of the multi-year transformation of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, honoring its rich history at the Walt Disney World Resort while enhancing its iconic Victorian charm and elegance. Reservations will open for this grand return on March 1, and we look forward to welcoming you back starting April 1 to this enhanced experience destined to become a new favorite!
Are you looking forward to dining at Narcoossee’s once again?
If you’d like to plan your next visit to Disney World, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Makes a Buzzing $357 Million in Opening Weekend. This included the biggest domestic box office numbers, with $120 million, which makes this the largest opening weekend for Marvel’s small superhero.
Variety reported “The superhero adventure, starring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly as the titular heroes, brought in $105 million from 4,345 North American theaters over the traditional weekend and finished the President’s Day holiday frame with $120 million. It’s the first $100 million domestic debut of 2023. The film added $121 million at the international box office, bringing its global tally to $225 million. “Quantumania” failed to live up to expectations in China, sputtering with $19.2 million.”
Though the threequel landed the worst reviews of the series (and some of the harshest in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe), “Quantumania” got a huge jump on its predecessors, surging past the openings of 2015’s “Ant-Man” ($57 million) and 2018’s sequel “Ant-Man and the Wasp” ($76 million). Critical sentiment rarely matters for opening weekends of Marvel movies, but word-of-mouth could have an impact on ticket sales in the coming weeks. In addition to its bleak 49% average on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences saddled the film with a “B” CinemaScore.
San Fransokyo Square Coming to California Adventure Summer 2023
This past summer at the D23 Expo 2022, Disney announced that Pacific Wharf in Disney California Adventure park will turn into San Fransokyo from “Big Hero 6”!
Those of you who have recently been to the park may have seen that this exciting transformation has already begun.
Later this summer, during the Disney100 celebration at Disneyland Resort, you will be able to step into the new area — named San Fransokyo Square — and discover new offerings inspired by Baymax and friends.
Today, we’re excited to tell you more about the Walt Disney Imagineering story behind San Fransokyo Square and some of the fun that awaits.
San Fransokyo Square will transport you to the not-too-distant future, in a fictional mash-up of two iconic cities – San Francisco and Tokyo. As the tech industry began to emerge and the local fishing trade fell on hard times, entrepreneurs came together to reinvent the seaside canneries into a vibrant, multicultural district of neighborhood restaurants and small businesses where you’ll be able to eat and shop.
An iconic landmark of the area will be the San Fransokyo Gate Bridge, which will span the tide pools linking San Fransokyo Square to the Paradise Gardens Park obelisk. Once you cross the bridge, you’ll catch a view of the floating wind turbine atop an old fishing net tannery, powering the district from high in the sky. Clues to the area’s storied and charming past can be found in the details throughout San Fransokyo Square.
Outside a converted warehouse at the south end of San Fransokyo, you may have the opportunity to encounter Baymax. Today, Pacific Wharf is home to eateries featuring sourdough bread, ice cream sundaes, delicious Mexican fare, Asian dishes and more. You’ll still be able to enjoy all your favorite Pacific Wharf dining locations during this transformation.
When the transformation to San Fransokyo Square is completed this summer, you’ll find familiar favorites like soups in freshly baked bread bowls, as well as many new Asian-inspired selections. The new Port of San Fransokyo Cervecería draws inspiration from its tri-cultural influences with signage in English, Japanese and Spanish. Outside will be a fun and inviting beer garden decorated with festoon lights and papel picado.
The San Fransokyo Square Public Works Department is hard at work on this transformation. We look forward to bringing San Fransokyo Square to life in Disney California Adventure park this summer!
How adorable is this Disney Easter Banner? The cutest garland decor for your home or hotel room if you are planning to visit Disney during this holiday! It’s created by DisneyCraftingDesign for $20. You can order yours here!
The banner includes 4 Mickey bunnies and 5 Easter eggs printed on high quality matte photo paper and cut out individually. So cute and a great addition to your home decor!
Disney Cancels John Stamos Series Big Shot After Two Seasons
According to Variety, Disney+ has canceled Big Shot after just two seasons on the streaming service. The series starred John Stamos and Yvette Nicole Brown. Big Shot was not the only show to get the axe; The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers was also canceled after two seasons. Big Shot highlighted coach Marvyn Korn as he transitioned from Coaching D1 Basketball to high school girls following an emotional meltdown on the court.
The show’s star, John Stamos, has not commented on the cancellation, but his co-star Yvette Nicole Brown said via Twitter, “We had a good run, guys! Thanks for enjoying #BigShot for two seasons. #SirensOut 🧜🏽♀️.”
Big Shot was co-created by David E. Kelley, along with Dean Lorey and Brad Garrett. While Stamos has not yet responded to the cancellation news, last year, he said, “This show represents everything Disney is to me — family, inclusion, and unity…I’m so grateful to continue to play Coach Korn, a man who learns to let go of pre-conceived judgments and learns from an incredible group of women, helping him to evolve and grow.”
Unfortunately, Coach Korn’s journey ended after just two seasons. How do you feel about the cancellation of Big Shot? Let us know your feelings in a comment.
New Disney Critters Loungefly Backpack Spotted At Animal Kingdom!
You will have plenty of company anywhere you go when you carry this Disney Critters Loungefly Backpack! We were able to find at Island Mercantile in Disney’s Animal Kingdom for $78, you can also find it online at shopDisney.
It features a colorful all over design of Disney animals that include Meeko, Pluto, Little Brother, Hei Hei, Marie, Percy, Pascal, Yzma and many more! It also has padded shoulder straps in light blue and gold harware.
Perfect to carry all your essentials around the park! Take a closer look at it in our Instagram post:
The cube features the Disney100 logo on the top and bottom and Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy on the sides. It also comes with a display base in case you prefer to use it as a decor piece!
Take a closer look at this fun toy in our Instagram post:
New Disney Princesses Dress And Blazer To Bring Fairytale Enchantment To Your Wardrobe!
You can add a royal touch to your style with these new Disney Princesses dress and blazer we found at Disney Springs for $69.99 and $79.99. Both are super cute and a great option for date night or for work! Take a look:
The strappy dress with a velour finish features an all over pattern of Disney Princess icons like crowns, glass slippers, roses, shells, hearts and more. It also has adjustable straps and enamel princess icons on the front.
It’s a very cute and subtle design that reminds me a lot of the dress in “My Date with the President’s Daughter” movie, very 90’s/ early 00’s style!
There is also a matching blazer in light pink with very subtle embroidery of a crown, heart and star on the front. A great option to bring a little Disney magic with you to work!
You can take a closer look at these both items in our Instagram post:
