Disney’s Expands Commitment with $500,000 Donation to Florida Organizations
Walt Disney World Resort just announced a $500,000 donation to five local conservation organizations as we continue to help make a happier, healthier planet possible for all.
This most recent donation brings our total given to nonprofit organizations across Florida since the start of the 50th Anniversary celebration to more than $6 million. It is one of the many ways we’re taking action to protect the planet as we remain committed to reducing our environmental footprint, caring for wildlife and their habitats, sharing stories that inspire action and supporting programs that make a world of difference in our community.
Since 1995, Disney has directed more than $120 million and the expertise of our dedicated teams to wildlife conservation efforts like these, resulting in meaningful and measurable impacts.
“For nearly a century, we as a company have taken action to protect the people, places and wildlife around us. I could not be more excited about the positive impact these Disney Grants will have on Central Florida and all who call it home.” Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President – Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment
Haunted Mansion in Disneyland Now Closed for Refurbishment
The Haunted Mansion in Disneyland has closed for its annual switch back to its everyday version. The attraction at Disneyland transforms into Haunted Mansion Holiday each Halloween and Christmas time. Typically, it closes earlier in January to switch back but the overlay stayed in place for a couple of extra weeks this time.
Every Halloween and Christmas season, guests visiting Disneyland can enjoy Haunted Mansion in a new way. Characters from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas took over the attraction for a limited time.
The attraction typically closes for a brief period around the first week in January to switch back to the original version of Haunted Mansion. This year, however, Jack Skellington and Sally remained for a couple of extra weeks.
Haunted Mansion closed yesterday, January 30, and will be closed through February 9, 2023. The Disneyland site lists it as closed for refurbishment. If you missed experiencing Haunted Mansion Holiday, you’ll have to wait until later this year when it returns.
Which version of Haunted Mansion do you prefer?
If you’d like to visit Disneyland to experience Haunted Mansion, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel and my services are complimentary.
Lunar New Year Food Booths, Menus and Food at Disney California Adventure
The Lunar New Year Festival is currently ongoing at Disney California Adventure. The festival has great Lunar New Year food booths, entertainment, and decor! Today we are focusing on the delicious food, the festival marketplaces and their menus.
First up is Bamboo Blessings which features a Mickey Mouse-shaped Hot Dog Bun and a Mickey Mouse-shaped Purple Sweet Potato Macaron. We tried both of those items and they both were delicious!
The next Marketplace is Prosperity Bao & Buns. This food booth featured a Pepperoni Pizza Bao Bun and Char Siu BBQ Pork Bao. Sadly, the Pepperoni Pizza Bao Bun sold out quickly and there were issues with the vendor so it has since been removed from the menu.
Longevity Noodle Co. features two different…you guessed it…noodles! Guests can enjoy Garlic Noodles and Spicy Pork DanDan Noodles. We grabbed the Garlic Noodles and they were tasty with delicious garlic butter and topped with parmesan.
Lucky 8 Lantern had one of our favorite Lunar New Year food items. Here, there is a savory item and a dessert. The Quesabirria Egg Roll with Guajillo Pepper Consomé was one of the best things we ate at the festival! The Mandarin Mousse Cake was also tasty but not our favorite.
At Red Dragon Spice Traders, you’ll find some spicy eats! Gochujang Elote is Steamed Corn on the Cob rolled in Gochujang Aїoli and Cotija Cheese, drizzled with spicy Gochujang Sauce. Red Spice Fried Chicken Bites is the other food item here.
And last, but not least, is Wrapped with Love. Originally, there were two food items on the menu: Pork and Shrimp Wontons (pictured above) and Bok Choy & Mushroom Dumplings. We tried the wontons and didn’t love them. Now, it appears the dumplings are no longer on the menu.
If you like the look of multiple Lunar New Year foods, snag a Sip and Savor Pass! It is $45 and gives you 6 tabs that can be used on Lunar New Year food and beverages in the park (no alcoholic beverages however).
Have you visited Disney California Adventure during the Lunar New Year Festival?
Contact me today to start planning your next visit to the Disneyland Resort! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel and my services are complimentary.
Universal Orlando Hosting Not-to-Miss Events and Offerings This Spring
Universal CityWalk guests can delight in numerous special not-to-miss events and offerings this spring! These events include enjoying a special birthday celebration for music icon, Bob Marley, keeping the Mardi Gras festivities going during Pat O’Brien’s Mardi Gras After Party, exploring the mysteries of the Cursed Coconut Club and more.
See below for an overview of the events taking place at Universal CityWalk this spring:
Bob Marley’s Birthday Jam: On Saturday, February 4 from 3 p.m. – 1 a.m., guests can celebrate the reggae icon, Bob Marley, during Bob Marley’s Birthday Jam at Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom. Guests will enjoy a variety of special entertainment – including performances by live bands, steel drummers, a DJ, stilt walkers and more – as well as exclusive food and beverage offerings. Reservations are encouraged.
Pat O’Brien’s Mardi Gras After Party: Guests can keep the festivities going all night long during Pat O’Brien’s Mardi Gras After Party – taking place from 4 p.m.- 1 a.m. on select nights during Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval (running February 4 – April 16). This party includes live DJs, stilt walkers, exclusive food and drink offerings and more. While admission is complimentary, reservations are encouraged.
Cursed Coconut Club: This Mardi Gras season, the Red Coconut Club will transform into the Cursed Coconut Club – the ultimate Mardi Gras lounge experience. On select nights February 4 – April 16, guests can explore the mysteries of the venue’s highly-themed, bayou-inspired atmosphere and enjoy incredible entertainment, exclusive drink offerings and more. Guests can check the Official Universal Orlando Resort App for dates and hours of operation.
Super Bowl LVII Experience at NBC Sports Grill & Brew: NBC Sports Grill & Brew is proud to host the 7th annual Super Bowl dining experience, with more than 100 HD screens streaming live Super Bowl coverage on Sunday, February 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. Guests can experience the Super Bowl like never before with live entertainment, special characters, exclusive food and drink options – including more than 100 beers on draft and in bottles, along with a house-designed and locally-made IPA – and more. Table reservations are required and will be accommodated on a first- come, first-served basis.
Pat O’Brien’s Fat Tuesday Celebration: On February 21, Pat O’Brien’s will host its annual Fat Tuesday celebration from 4 p.m. – 1 a.m.. After catching beads by the handful and savoring incredible food at Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval, guests can head over to the venue and enjoy live entertainment – including a dueling piano set – and exclusive food and drink offerings. While admission is complimentary, reservations are encouraged.
Pat O’Brien’s St. Patty’s Day Celebration: Guests can enjoy a special “St. Patty’s Day” celebration at Pat O’Brien’s on Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18 from 2 p.m. – 1 a.m. Guests will enjoy exclusive food and drink options, as well as incredible live entertainment, such as a DJ, band, stilt walkers, and a dueling piano set. While admission is complimentary, reservations are encouraged.
Will you be attending any of these special events this spring?
If you’d like to plan your next visit to Universal Orlando, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan an epic vacation!
Stunning new Disney Castle Collection Puzzles by Ravensburger will be debuting soon! These beautiful new puzzles showcase ten Disney Princesses and their gorgeous castles!
Disney Castle Collection Puzzles
Ravensburger and Disney fans alike will be able to immerse themselves into the world of 10 different Disney castle puzzles. Ten Disney heroines are showcased with illustrations that give you to peek inside the castle interiors. A unique cross-section view is displayed in the front of the design, with a beautiful image of the coordinating princess in the background.
Each puzzle retails for $29.99, and they are available for pre-order now! The Disney Castle Collection Puzzles will be can be pre-ordered now at Amazon!
Which Disney Castle puzzle is on your must-have list? I know Rapunzel is on mine!
Fluffy Pixar Ear Collection Now Available at Disney World. Sully from Monsters Inc Headband, and Ducky and Bunny Fuzzy Fun Ear Headband are available at World of Disney in Disney Springs.
Both headbands are super fluffy and the material around the headband itself is also fluffy and oversized. Both headbands are available for $34.99. The headbands are listed as for adults, but with the extra material, they will fit younger guests very well.
You can almost hear the banter between the BFFs with this Ducky and Bunny Fuzzy Fun Ear Headband. Signature elements from the talkative duo include Ducky’s tuft of fluff and Bunny’s ears and hangtag, all topped off with a fuzzy green bow. Inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 4, it’s so full of attitude and fun, you just might imagine the headband can talk too.
New Delicious Munchling Treats Now Available at Walt Disney World. You can now pair delicious snacks around Walt Disney World and your favorite Munchlings. Starting yesterday around Disney parks, you can find three new treats to satisfy your sweet tooth and share it with your Munchlings.
Delicious sweet treats adorable Disney Munchlings, DisneyEats posted. New Sweet Treats and Munchlings are now available at Walt Disney World. Almond Sweet corn Available at Food Carts near #cinderellacastle paired with Donald Duck Corn Elote @disneyplushies Munchling Carrot Cake Whoopie Pie is available at HS paired with Thumper Spiced Carrot 🥕 Cake Disney Munchling. Angel Acai Bowl 🥣 Paired with Angel Acai Bowl Munchling.
The exclusive Angel Açai Bowl and Almond Sweet Corn Cake are available from now until March 31!
Angel Açai – She’s your sweet little boojiboo, as Stitch loves to call his darling Angel. Inspired by Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, this Angel Açai Bowl Disney Munchlings scented plush will have you singing the praises of her cute face and the darling plush berries she dons on her head. Part of our Fruity Finds series of Disney Munchlings, Angel, a.k.a. Experiment 624, is proven to be a huggable, lovable expression of sweet joy.
Star of Laverne & Shirley, Cindy Williams dies at 75. She once starred in “Help Wanted: Kids” the first episode of The Disney Sunday Movie, originally aired on ABC on February 2, 1986. Also, starred in George Lucas’ American Grafitti, and is most famous for Shirley Feeney in Laverne & Shirley Sitcomhas passed at 75.
Cindy Williams, one-half of the lead duo behind ABC’s hit Laverne & Shirley sitcom, has died. The actor’s family announced Williams’ passing Monday evening through a statement obtained by the Associated Press.
According to the family, Williams died last Wednesday after a brief illness, though an exact cause of death was not released. She was 75.”The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement read. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous, and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
Cindy Williams, who played Shirley opposite Penny Marshall’s Laverne on the popular sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died, her family said Monday. She was 75. https://t.co/NdRAnf8M5U
Dave Bautista Wants to Follow James Gunn to DC Universe. James Gunn and Peter Safran are the co-CEOs of DC Studios, a new studio formed to guide the next several years of DC stories on the big and small screen. Just don’t hold your breath for Dave Bautista to play Bane, but you could still see him join the Guardians of the Galaxy director in the new DCU.
Dave Bautista revealed he didn’t want to be “that guy” that would congratulate someone on their new position while also trying to slyly proposition for a role. However, the two are friends, and while he doesn’t expect to get a call or be handed a part, he would “love to be a part of the DC Universe.”
In Marvel Studios “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Dave Bautista Wants to Follow James Gunn to DC Universe
James Gunn writes and directs “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Will Poulter and Maria Bakalova. Kevin Feige is the producer and Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nikolas Korda, Simon Hatt, and Sara Smith serve as executive producers.
First Look at the Nighttime Lights for Tron Light Cycle Run. Excitement is building for the opening date of Disney’s newest ride, Tron Lightcycle Run in the Magic Kingdom. April 4th, 2023. Last night Cast Members were able to schedule a day and time to preview the coaster, and now we are getting real images from Disney of some of the attraction’s key components, the Canopy.
Greetings, Programs! As a kid, I spent countless hours playing video games at my local arcade. The anticipation of hearing a quarter drop into an arcade machine only fueled my excitement at the ensuing video competition (which was most likely me playing “Discs of Tron” again). I felt that same joy last night with my camera in hand as the “curved wave” canopy, called the Upload Conduit, was officially powered on in its entirety at TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise. And I wanted you to be among the first to see these breathtaking images from this major milestone moment.
The Upload Conduit will serve as the digital bridge into The Grid for your Lightcycle when this attraction opens in Magic Kingdom Park on April 4. As a lifelong “TRON” fan, I was in awe. The massive structure was constructed of nearly 40 pieces, strategically assembled and aligned, to create the perfect system for moving Lightcycles to The Games.
I’ve seen the Upload Conduit from afar while riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and the Tomorrowland Speedway, but nothing prepared me for being directly under it. When Lightcycles whiz by overhead, lights dance across the conduit leaving glowing hexagons.
These visuals are enhanced by familiar music from the “TRON: Legacy” soundtrack (something that is on heavy rotation in my house). I could have watched the colorful stripes of blue, orange and white chase along the canopy for hours.
Here are a few more images I captured from this milestone moment. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I’ll be sharing even more details about this thrilling new attraction coming to Walt Disney World Resort. I can’t wait to race you on The Grid. End of line.
The light is remote controlled and you can pick your favorite color and watch the lights come to life! A super cute addition to your home and remember the fun times at Walt Disney World!
New Charming Disney Parks Carrousel Dress To Twirl Around In Style!
You will find yourself twirling around every time you wear this elegant Disney Parks Carrousel Dress inspired in the whimsical attraction in Fantasyland. We found it at Uptown Jewelers in Magic Kingdom for $198, you can also order yours online at shopDisney.
This dress is gorgeous! It features a pink organza skirt with pleated hem circled with carrousel horses and flags, plus a beautiful white belt with a gold carrousel buckle to accentuate your waist.
Underneath, the dress features a fitted pink bodice with shoulder straps and a pink skirt.
You can take a closer look at this dress in our Instagram post:
