Disney News

Category: Resorts

  • Refillable Mugs Increase to $19.99 at Walt Disney World

    Refillable Mugs Increase to $19.99 at Walt Disney World

    $19.99. That’s right, your favorite Walt Disney World Resort Rapid Fill refillable mug has just gone up in price… Again. Okay, so it only went up a dollar, but it’s a pretty steep price at nearly twenty bucks.

    Originally they had pricing tiers depending on how many days you were staying, which was nice for guest who were only staying a day or two, but since May 2015 only a “length of stay” option has been available. The price has been set at $18.99 since December 2017.

    As the name implies, the Length of Stay price is the same regardless of whether your Resort stay is one night, two weeks, or any length of time in between. Guests are entitled to unlimited free refills on fountain drinks, coffee, and tea from self-service beverage locations at Disney resorts for their length of stay.

    Refillable mugs are provided to guests that have purchased one of the Disney Dining Plans, but for other guests the price for a refillable mug is now $19.99 for the length of stay.

    The mugs can be refilled with fountain beverages, coffee, and tea at any resort self-service beverage location. The refillable mugs are purchased or redeemed at the quick service location at each Disney resort. You will find different colors to choose from. The cast member will activate the mug and then you are able to use it at the Rapid Fill location, which is also usually also located inside the quick service location, or in some cases the resort gift shop. You hold your cup under your drink selection of choice and it will fill up the cup.

    Leave us a comment if you remember the days before the RFID chip when people would just bring their favorite mug and fill it up as they pleased?

  • Sneak Peek at the New Disney’s Riviera Resort

    Sneak Peek at the New Disney’s Riviera Resort

    We were invited to a Special Preview of the new Riviera Resort rooms at Disney’s Vacation Club Preview Center, and we can report that this is the resort of your dreams!

    Inspired by Walt’s love of Europe and the Mediterranean, Disney’s new Riviera Resort will be your new home away from home on your next vacation. With amenities such as shelves by the front door for Magicbands and hooks in the entrance for rain coats, Disney has thought of every little detail to make your vacation Magical.

    One Bedroom Villa

    For centuries, the European Riviera has inspired visitors to relax, rejuvenate and play along the Mediterraneann, and this new resort is filled with ways to make that happen. There will be 2 pools, one of them being a “quiet” pool, and a kids splay and play area. The music will be themed to reflect Disney favorites and layered into the resort experience. Also, expect to hear lots of live music at Riviera resort.

    Sitting area

    All of the restaurants will feature handcrafted cuisine and even the Casual Dining option will serve dishes on porcelain plates.

    Topolino’s Terrace – Flavor’s of the Riviera, will be the crowning jewel of Riviera. Topolino gets it name from the European name for Mickey – Topolino! This restaurant will give you a view of two fireworks shows – Epcot and Hollywood Studios, and it will feature made from scratch pasta and sauces and a wine heavy menu.

    Blueberry pancakes with Lemon Creme and Real Maple Syrup

    The rooms at Riviera are spacious, made for family fun. We were able to preview a Deluxe Studio and a One Bedroom Villa. The Deluxe Studio has a kitchenette, dining room table that will comfortably seat 4 people, and washer and dryer. The one bedroom has a full kitchen including a dishwasher! Both rooms include an amazing new style of pull-down bed in the living room area, a huge shower separate from the tub, and amazing details.

    Bathtub in a One Bedroom Villa

    Both rooms also feature a pull-down twin sized bed under the television in the main living area. Each bed features unique artwork, and their own reading light. I’m sure this cute bed will be a favorite among young guests!

    Pull-down twin bed with a peek of the kitchenette.
    Pull-down bed open.

    There are artistic touches throughout the rooms, inspired by European artists, but with a fun Disney twist! You’ll see Beauty and the Beast characters painted in the style of Rembrandt, and Lighting McQueen from ‘Cars’ inside a Mediterranean setting.

    DVC aspect: This resort will finally offer something that most DVC resorts are missing – a smaller Studio perfect for couples. A DVC Cast Member told us that a regular Studio will run about 90 points for a week during “Choice Season,” and Deluxe Studios will run about 118 points for the same time period.

    Couch that pulls down into a bed

    Stop by the Disney Vacation Club Preview Center at Saratoga Springs resort for your own preview, and stay tuned for more information closer to the Riviera Resort opening scheduled for December 16th, 2019.

    Contact me today at Kimberly at Enchanted Kingdom Vacations to plan your own magical vacation. I have lots of Disney trips and tricks that will make your trip even more magical; all at no extra cost to you!

  • Sneak Peek: Riviera Resort’s Interactive Water Play Area

    Sneak Peek: Riviera Resort’s Interactive Water Play Area

    When Disney’s Riviera Resort opens in December 2019 families will find it’s filled with many new places to make memories. And today, we have a sneak peek at Riviera Resorts interactive water play area – S’il Vous Play.

    Styled after the public fountains found throughout Europe, S’il Vous Play draws it’s inspiration from the 1940 Disney classic, “Fantasia.” This interactive water play area will provide young guests the perfect place for fun in the sun, surrounded by fanciful creatures.

    Inspired by the “Dance of the Hours” in “Fantasia,” S’il Vous Play features elephants filling dump buckets with their trunks, dancing ostriches, and hippos splashing water into decorative bowls.

    As young guests frolic in the water and zoom down slides, older guests may even spot the playful references to the animated film’s classical music, which featured the works of many European composers.

    Stay tuned for more news on this new DVC resort and a Sneak Peek of the rooms coming soon! Contact me at Kimberly’s Kingdom to book your next family stay.

  • New “Beauty and the Beast”-Inspired Lounge Coming to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

    New “Beauty and the Beast”-Inspired Lounge Coming to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

    Tie your napkin around your neck, because Disney is bringing a new “Beauty and the Beast”-inspired lounge to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa this fall as we have previously reported and now we have a name.

    Located on the second floor of the lobby, this re-imagined lounge will be called Enchanted Rose and will celebrate the magic and romance of Disney’s popular live-action movie. 

    Formerly Mizner’s Lounge and Commander Porter’s, the new lounge will feature four unique spaces inspired by Belle and the Beast. The signature bar will glow from the light of a magnificent gold chandelier that takes its inspiration from Belle’s flowing ball gown, with subtle nods to the Beast’s magical rose. The formal library showcases classical baroque designs and French furnishings inspired by Belle, with hints of the Beast’s friends. The garden room will be a whimsical space that draws its inspiration from the enchanted forest surrounding Beast’s castle. And an outdoor patio will evoke the romance of Beast’s garden terrace.

    It’s the latest new Disney magic coming to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. In February, we announced a new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique location will open this summer at the beloved and picturesque resort hotel located on the banks of the Seven Seas Lagoon.

    With charm and elegance to be found around every turn, this quaint bar and lounge will be the place where you can put our service to the test and share a tale as old as time.

  • New Concept Art and Details Released for Disney’s Riviera Resort Opening in December

    New Concept Art and Details Released for Disney’s Riviera Resort Opening in December

    As we previously reported, Disney’s Riviera Resort is coming to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida as the 15th Disney Vacation Club property and today Disney has released some beautiful new concept art and some exciting new details.

    For centuries, the European Riviera has inspired visitors to relax, rejuvenate and play along the Mediterranean. At Disney’s Riviera Resort, projected to open December 2019, the history and charm that enchanted Walt and Lillian Disney, and so many others, will be yours to experience.

    In each meticulous detail and around every turn, you’ll see how Imagineers are creating a resort that celebrates the elegance of a modern European retreat blended with a touch of old-world glamour and a uniquely Disney twist. Here’s a closer look at the careful planning and thoughtful features that make Disney’s Riviera Resort so special. Take a look at some more of the new concept art below:

    The overall design of Disney’s Riviera Resort is inspired by the elegant, early 20th century hotels situated along Europe’s Mediterranean coast. Like the region itself, Disney’s Riviera Resort will convey classic European designs mixed with modern expressions.

    Its articulated stone base and smooth stucco façades will be accented with decorative metalwork and colorful awnings. French mansard roofs and Italian style arches and loggias will intermingle with other architectural styles found along the coastal region.

    The center building, or tower, with expressive roofs and ornamental details, will be at the heart of the resort. Adjacent wings are designed as if added progressively to accommodate more travelers. The resort itself is a layered story, inspired by the buildings and architecture in Europe that grew and evolved over time.

    Each wing of the resort will grow in height, from eight to 10 stories, allowing for sweeping views of the resort to be seen from the rooftop restaurant, Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera. If this sounds tantalizing, I should mention that bookings are now open for Topolino’s Terrace, with reservations available beginning on December 16.

    Porticos, towers and terraces, as well as a unique, coastal-inspired color palette, will give each resort wing an exterior style all its own – a visual representation of the changes in design styles that influenced regional resorts throughout the century.

    The window styles will vary across the façade of the resort, with variations in size, shape and mullion designs. Continuing the inspired architectural details, the iconic window awnings of the region will be married with shutters of varying colors and arrangements. A variety of decorative railings throughout the resort will feature a subtle Disney twist, with motifs of Mickey Mouse and his leading lady, Minnie.

    By incorporating these detailed differences into the design, Imagineers captured the progressive feeling of European architecture, imparting a sense of history and story that developed over time.

    Under construction and projected to open December 2019, Disney’s Riviera Resort at Walt Disney World Resort will be inspired by Europe and imagined by Disney. From the resort, you will be able to stay just a gondola ride away from all the excitement and experiences via the new Disney Skyliner system when it opens this fall.

    If you need help booking your magical vacation, contact Enchanted Kingdom Vacations with Vikki for help. My services are completely free and I will always find you the lowest rates. Let me do all the work so you don’t have to!

  • Gran Destino Tower Opens at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

    Gran Destino Tower Opens at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

    The new Gran Destino Tower officially opened to guests Tuesday morning with a festive celebration, completing a multiyear re-imagining of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort that also includes new restaurants, a new arrival experience and more.

    Celebrating the rich cultures and vibrant landscapes of Spain, Mexico and the American Southwest through contemporary design and Old World traditions, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort shines with renewed luster.

    The new Gran Destino Tower rises dramatically on the southeastern shores of Lago Dorado (“Golden Lake”), the resort’s 22-acre lake. The tower – opening to the public July 9 – offers 545 modern guest rooms (including 50 suites and club-level services), a grand two-story lobby, new meeting venues, and a rooftop restaurant and lounge with spectacular views.The distinctive tower becomes the stylish new gateway to the 2,385-room resort.

    Gran Destino Tower takes its name from the classic Disney film “Destino.” Drawing inspiration from the surrealist animated short, the tower is a whimsical, magnificent visual feast, diverse in its design and execution. The tower’s outdoor Destino Plaza are also ideal for weddings, business receptions or other special events.

    Past its grand entrance and signature ribbon-patterned design that climbs up the side of Gran Destino Tower, guests step into a stunning lobby – an homage to the Catalan Modernism style. On their way to check in, new arrivals pass intricate wooden screens with rows of beautiful Moorish hanging lanterns, while decorative bronze screens inspired by Spanish tile patterns accent the rear wall of the lobby.

    The warm colors and patterns of Barcelona inspire the sun-filled Barcelona Lounge on the lobby’s lower level, offering plenty of casual seating and lake views. Beneath a magnificent chandelier framed by sculpted plaster columns, guests can enjoy coffee in the morning and cocktails as the day progresses.

    The Catalan theme extends to the tower’s stylish new guest rooms and suites. A wall covering in each room is inspired by Spanish tile medallions, adding an Old World touch to a contemporary design. The new tower also offers club-access rooms for guests who want to enjoy the benefits of the Chronos Club. The club boasts commanding views of Walt Disney World Resort and cast members who can assist with vacation planning. Light refreshments are available throughout the day.

    Each tower guest room also offers a new interactive television system that provides a more customized and Disney differentiated in-room experience. This new television system will enhance the guest experience with Disney-quality services, content and personalization. For example, guests can view their Disney PhotoPass images on the large screen and stream their entertainment services from their personal devices to the in-room television.

    Gran Destino Tower is crowned by dramatic rooftop dining locations, Tolédo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood and Dahlia Lounge, offering breathtaking views of Walt Disney World from the tower’s 16thfloor. Named for the storied Spanish city home to avant-garde writers and artists of the 1920s and ’30s, Tolédo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood is a table-service dining experience. The Spanish-inspired menu features entrees like chuletón, a 32-ounce, Spanish-style ribeye for two, as well as sustainable seafood and classic Spanish sides. It’s all served in a setting that features live olive trees, vibrant colors and an intricate vaulted ceiling with stained-glass accents. There’s also an onstage tapas kitchen inspired by the flavors of Spain, specializing in small plates, charcuteríá and cheeses.

    The adjacent Dahlia Lounge takes its mesmerizing shapes and swirling patterns from Spanish Modernism, inviting guests into an intimate, artful space where they can enjoy signature cocktails and panoramic views.

    As part of the broader re-imagining of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, three new pedestrian bridges now extend across Lago Dorado, allowing for quick and convenient passage to and from all parts of the resort. In the middle of the lake at the nexus of these new pathways is Villa del Lago (“Lake Villa”), home to a new outdoor restaurant, Three Bridges Bar & Grill. The open-air, waterfront dining location offers delicious entrees and shareables, along with refreshing cocktails and signature sangria pitchers. Three Bridges Bar & Grill features a rustic, Old World charm anchored by a large stone hearth behind the central bar.

    These new experiences complement the wide array of amenities and experiences at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, including floating gardens, scenic nature trails and palm-shaped courtyards. Throughout the resort, guests can enjoy a diverse collection of dining options, including:

    • Maya Grill – A grand Mexican dining room featuring ancient-modern styling and Nuevo Latino cuisines.
    • Rix Sports Bar & Grill – A stylish establishment with a unique spin on classic bar food.
    • El Mercado de Coronado – A food court filled with kitchens serving made-to-order breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a wide array of options so there’s something for everyone.
    • Café Rix – A charming grab-and-go location offering pastries, coffee and tasty snacks.
    • Laguna Bar – A breezy lakeside lounge boasting signature cocktails.
    • Siestas Cantina – A poolside hideaway to unwind with refreshing beverages and snacks.

    Shoppers can delight in an updated Panchito’s merchandise location. Named after one of the main characters from the Disney film “The Three Caballeros,” Panchito’s resembles an open-air Mexican market.

    The Dig Site – a sprawling pool complex with a Mayan-ruins theme – is fed by water cascading dramatically down a Mayan pyramid and features a water slide that evokes the spirit animal of a jaguar. The Dig Site can be accessed via the new bridges over Lago Dorado.

    All existing guest rooms at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort were updated with new fixtures, furnishings and lighting. Guest feedback helped shape the room remodel that introduced an expansive desk space, hard-surface floors, platform beds and more. In addition, a fresh, sophisticated new color palette ties together the entire resort experience.

    Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is now a celebration of Spanish, Mexican and American Southwest cultures, infused with a profound respect for the natural world – most notably water. These design motifs span centuries to form a common thread that connects the new with the newly re-imagined.

  • Mobile Order Service Coming Soon to Select Disney World Resort Hotels

    Mobile Order Service Coming Soon to Select Disney World Resort Hotels

    Ordering food and beverages at Disney Parks has never been simpler since the mobile order app was introduced in 2017. Now Disney Parks has rolled out a the service at select resorts.

    Imagine getting a jump start to your day or returning from the parks and conveniently ordering, paying for and picking up fresh meals and snacks when you are ready – right from your fingertips.

    Over the coming months, you’ll be able to do just that as Disney expands the popular mobile order food service to additional restaurants at Disney Resort hotels, including: Everything POP Shopping & Dining at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, The Mara at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Contempo Café at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

    These restaurants will join our existing mobile order lineup of Centertown Market and Spyglass Grill at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and over 20 other quick-service locations throughout the four theme parks and Disney Springs area.

    With the service, you can order ahead from wherever you happen to be, skip the order line and head directly to the pick-up counter where Cast Members deliver your food – helping you save time to enjoy all there is to see and do at Walt Disney World Resort.

    And don’t forget, if you have a Disney dining plan you can now redeem your meals and snacks through the service. Disney also recently introduced a new enhanced look that makes the ordering experience easier than ever.

    The mobile order service is yet another way we are improving the vacation experience for guests through the My Disney Experience app, especially at Disney Resort hotels, where select guests can streamline check in to start their vacation even faster, use their mobile device as a digital key, view bus times and much more. 

  • New Complimentary MagicBand Upgrade Options Coming Soon to Disney World

    New Complimentary MagicBand Upgrade Options Coming Soon to Disney World

    When you book a Walt Disney World Resort vacation, picking out your MagicBand and customized with your name and favorite color is part of the fun! And soon, Disney will be adding the option to upgrade the complimentary solid-color MagicBand that comes with your reservation.

    Soon, Disney Resort hotel guests and new and renewing Annual Passholders will have the option to upgrade, at a discounted price, to one of more than 30 new MagicBand upgrade options featuring favorite Disney characters and designs. These new MagicBand upgrade options will be available for pre-arrival purchase at a special price that reflects a $14.99 discount off the regular retail cost through the My Disney Experience website.

    Check out the video below to get a sneak peek:

    A colorful selection of complimentary MagicBands is still available for guests who choose not to upgrade. The new upgrade options can also be shipped to guests’ homes (U.S. addresses only) if ordered 11 or more days ahead of arrival and can be personalized if done so at least 6 or more days ahead of arrival.

    The MagicBand, which recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, effortlessly links the Walt Disney World Resort vacation choices and plans guests make in the My Disney Experience app – from entering the parks to redeeming FastPass+ selections, using dining plan credits, linking Disney PhotoPass photos and more.

  • Beauty and the Beast Bar Replacing Mizner’s Lounge at Grand Floridian

    Beauty and the Beast Bar Replacing Mizner’s Lounge at Grand Floridian

    Mizner’s Lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is set to close in April for refurbishment and according to multiple online sources the location will be re-themed as a Beauty and the Beast Lounge.

    According to @SchuckJH on twitter the area will be re-imagined as a live-action version of the Beauty and the Beast film and could involve not just a simple overlay, but a total transformation like the Snow White-themed Storybook Dining at Artist Point recently was.

    If the rumors are true, Mizner’s Lounge will transformed into various settings from the Beast’s Castle. Some of the themes rooms will include the library, the ballroom, and the outside patio will be transformed in the woods from outside the Beast’s castle.

    Apperantly “The Library” will have plush couches and a fireplace where current bar sits. “The Ballroom” will have a chandelier. “The Woods” will have indoor/outdoor seating. Around 140 seats total.

    As with all rumors, take it with a grain of salt. Nothing is official until Disney announces it.

  • Skillets and Shenanigans – A New Menu Gallops Into Whispering Canyon Café

    Skillets and Shenanigans – A New Menu Gallops Into Whispering Canyon Café

    If yer lookin’ for some good eatin’ and fine fixin’s, then look no further! Tuesday, Disney announced that Whispering Canyon Café at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has a rootin’ tootin’ new menu thats comes with skillets galore!

    The fun-filled restaurant is known for its sassy cast members, Old Western games, and fine frontier fare, which now includes a whole new array of all-you-care-to-enjoy signature skillets for lunch and dinner and, starting March 26, breakfast skillets as well.

    And while you chow down on these signature skillets, the rowdy canyon townsfolk are there to serve you, and their boisterous goings-on aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Do the hokey pokey, ring the dinner bell, and even ask for ketchup (at your own risk, of course). But that’s enough hootin’ and hollerin’ for right now – take a look at these delicious new items below!

    Starting with a hearty lunch option the Signature Lunch Skillet comes with maple-chipotle BBQ slow-smoked pork ribs, barbecued pulled pork, and citrus-herb chicken. 

    On the dinner menu, you can try the Traditional Dinner Skillet with oak-smoked mustard BBQ beef brisket, maple-chipotle BBQ pork ribs, slow-smoked pulled pork, and citrus-herb chicken. You can also pig out on The “Pig” Dinner Skillet with heaping helpings of braised pork belly, maple-chipotle BBQ pork ribs, slow-smoked pulled pork, and mustard BBQ “piggy wings.” Both of these particular skillets come with western-style sausage as well.

    Sea-farers can order the Land and Sea Dinner Skillet, which comes with house-smoked salmon, citrus herb chicken, vegan sausage, and charred portabellas. 

    You can also feast on the Vegan Dinner Skillet – filled with maple-chipotle BBQ jackfruit, spicy vegan sausage, mustard-glazed beefless tips, and herb-brushed trick’n chick’n.

    In addition, each one of these hearty all-you-care-to-enjoy skillets comes with a different assortment of sides that may include coleslaw, sautéed green beans, buttered corn, oven-roasted carrots, charred peppers, BBQ cauliflower, Yukon mashed potatoes, or roasted potatoes. You’ll also get to chow down on freshly-baked cornbread served with delicious honey butter with every dinner skillet. 

    Now, if you’ve got a hankerin’ for something sweet, then you can order the Apple Pie. This mouth-watering slice of pie comes dusted with powdered sugar and is served with a big ol’ scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

    Thirsty cowpokes will also enjoy a selection of newly-themed cocktails such as the Bourbon Cowboy, which comes garnished with apple slices and pairs great with any lunch and dinner skillet. Selections of wines and draft beers are also available to help you wet yer whistle. 

    In addition, starting on March 26, you’ll also be able to feast on an array of breakfast skillets. Rise and shine to a delicious chuck wagon breakfast with the Heritage Skillet or the Carnivore Skillet. The Heritage Skillet comes with country potatoes, hickory-smoked bacon, and pork sausage links. For the meat-lovers, the Carnivore Skillet comes loaded with  house-smoked ham, hickory-smoked bacon, pork sausage links, and oak-smoked beef brisket. Oh, and did I mention that both of these skillets come with house-made buttermilk-cheddar biscuits, scrambled eggs, and Mickey Waffles? That’s right cowpokes, MICKEY WAFFLES FOR EVERYONE! 

    For those looking for a lighter start to your morning, the Lighter Side Breakfast Skillet is a great option. It comes with Bircher Muesli (Swiss oatmeal), egg white spinach frittata, turkey bacon and turkey sausage, country potatoes, fresh fruit, yogurt, and of course, more Mickey waffles! 
    Are you hungry yet? Because I sure am! So jump right on your hobby horse and trot on over to pay us a visit.