As Disney begins to relax their COVID-19 safety procedures, guests are now allowed to use self-service stations to fill their refillable mugs again.
Disney changed their website to reflect the new protocol as you can see below:
“Some self-serve beverage stations—which allow for Guests to fill and refill their own beverages—are available at select quick-service restaurants located in Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Resort hotels,” Disney added to their website.
Blizzard Beach has been allowing guests to refill their own beverages since it reopened in March, however, since Disney World reopened last summer guests at other Disney World locations had to be served by Cast Members.
Families planning their next visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth are in for a real treat. That’s especially true for families with tweens. With roller coasters and thrill attractions of all kinds and so much more, tweens can explore new and classic experiences, soak up the sun and indulge in some tasty tastes.
From the must-have family photo in front of Cinderella Castle with its new royal colors to character dining experiences with picture-perfect views, there is always something to do.
Here are 10 ways for tweens and families to spring into summer while vacationing at Walt Disney World Resort this year:
Splash into Fun at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park – This wintry-themed water park is celebrating the best summer ever in splashy style. It’s a great place to enjoy family fun together with big thrills for the kids and places for parents to relax.
Discover Paradise at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort – The tropical oasis along the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon is now accepting bookings for late July 2021. The reimagined guest rooms will surround guests with details, patterns and textures inspired by the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Moana.”
The Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival Blooms Through July 5 – The event combines the freshest flowers and flavors from around the world, featuring fun for the whole family from garden-inspired cuisine to lifelike character topiaries and new Orange Bird merchandise to complement any selfie. Guests who miss this festival have no reason to worry. On July 15, the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival will kick off and run through Nov. 20, offering plenty of family-friendly fun (more details will be announced at a later date).
Check Out the Royal Makeover of Cinderella Castle – The treasured icon at the heart of Magic Kingdom Park now features bold, shimmering and regal enhancements befitting its royal status. It makes a great photo backdrop with family and friends.
Celebrate the Magic of Nature – Explore Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, an immersive land featuring massive floating mountains, bioluminescent rainforests and unbelievable experiences including Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey. And from April 18 to 24, the park will connect guests with the magic of nature through Earth Week activities designed to educate, entertain and inspire the whole family.
Find Disney Characters in New Places –From cavalcades to caravans to flotillas and even special “pop-up” appearances, guests of all ages can discover favorite friends at all four theme parks and occasional special surprise appearances at Disney Resort hotels.
Step into an Adventure – At Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can step through a movie screen and into the cartoon world of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway They can also embark on an adventure in a galaxy far, far away at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the immersive, award-winning land featuring two thrilling attractions: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
Here for the Food – Foodie options are limitless at Walt Disney World, whether sitting for a family meal or snacking between attractions. Guests can enjoy a family-style meal at Chef Mickey’s with Mickey Mouse and his pals at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, or visit Topolino’s Terrace– Flavors of the Riviera at Disney’s Riviera Resort for a fun character dining experience during Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends and a beautiful view of Walt Disney World. EPCOT is another great place to grab a quick bite … or two … or three! The Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival offers more than 20 Outdoor Kitchens where guests can sample tastes and sips as diverse as Avocado Toast and a Maple Popcorn Shake. Top off the experience with classic Disney Parks snacks – buttery popcorn and the classic Mickey Ice Cream Bar are Walt Disney World theme park favorites.
Stroll, Dine and Shop for the Perfect Gift at Disney Springs – Guests visiting this shopping, dining and entertainment destination have plenty of new options to satisfy even the most demanding tastes. Disney Style is the latest fashion-forward merchandise spot with a twist. Here, fashionistas find a curated assortment of trendy apparel and accessories inspired by beloved Disney characters and attractions. Tweens looking for a sweet treat can grab a handcrafted, photo-worthy donut at the newly opened Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew.
Relax Outdoors – Central Florida weather is traditionally gorgeous this time of year, and Walt Disney World offers special ways to enjoy outdoor recreation, including miniature golf, fishing expeditions, horseback riding and more.
Families can add extra theme park magic to their upcoming visit to Walt Disney World Resort. Whether planning a celebration or a vacation, guests that book a non-discounted four-night/three-day room and ticket package at select Disney Resort hotels for arrivals most nights now through Sept. 25, 2021, will receive an additional two days added to their theme park tickets.
The family at Disney Animal Kingdom just got a little bit bigger. A baby Mandrill was born on Saturday, April 10, to first-time mom Hazel and dad Linus.
Cast members named the infant Ivy to fit in with the rest of her colorful family – Olive, Scarlett, Snow and Hazel.
“We’re so excited to share this news and report that mom and newborn are healthy and bonding. Be on the lookout, because both have already been spotted by guests on Kilimanjaro Safaris,” Disney said in a post. Take a closer look at the cutest new addition to the herd:
You might see the shy baby clinging to Hazel’s stomach, a natural bonding behavior. But this will change soon as the baby begins to walk within weeks of being born, spending most of the time walking underneath mom. The baby joins the troop of seven other mandrills that call Disney’s Animal Kingdom home.
Here are some interesting facts about one of the most colorful mammals found in nature. Mandrills typically have a six-month gestation period. In the mandrill social structure, females take on the majority of parental responsibilities, including grooming, nursing, and carrying the young. When you spot the mandrills, you may see them grooming one another, a behavior that promotes social bonding.
The new arrival weighed in between 1-2 pounds, mandrills are actually the largest species of monkey. They’re also a vulnerable species found in African rainforests along the equator where their habitat is disappearing because of deforestation and poaching.
A few weeks ago Disney shared the exciting plans for new Spaceship Earth lighting debuting during the 50th anniversary celebration Walt Disney World. Now we have a first look at one of the new light fixtures being added to the iconic attraction at Epcot.
As part of “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” Spaceship Earth will transform into magnificent Beacons of Magic at night, coming to life with an EARidescent glow.
The attraction will have new lights that will shine across the reflective panels, connecting to one another and resembling stars in a nighttime sky. Take a look at the installation below:
“Our team at Imagineering has been hard at work innovating the design and technology for this poetic and inspirational lighting concept,” Imagineer Zach Riddley said in an online post. “We’ve had to get quite ingenious in how we go about installing these new fixtures and all the high-tech systems so that they seamlessly integrate with the iconic profile of Spaceship Earth.”
Riddley said after this test crews will begin installing the new lighting package from the top of the 180-foot sphere and working their way down.
The permanent new lighting will debut Oct. 1, and continue beyond “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” as a defining feature of the park.
A big change has come to the face mask policy at Disney World as guests will now be allowed to remove their masks when taking an outdoor photo.
Beginning April 8, guests will be allowed to remove their masks temporarily while taking outdoor photos; however, you’ll need to remain stationary and be sure to keep an “appropriate” physical distance while snapping shots.
“You may temporarily remove your face covering while actively eating, drinking or taking an outdoor photo, but you must be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing during this time,” according to Disney’s website.
Previously guests would have to keep their masks on while taking photos at the parks. All guests ages 2 and up are still required to wear face masks during their visit.
Since reopening last summer with new health and safety measures, Disney has periodically updated its face mask policy. Earlier this year, Disney updated the policy to say that even visitors who have received the COVID-19 vaccine would still be required to wear a face mask. The change comes as vaccine rollout continues in the United States.
Disney World is one of the most popular places for people to propose to their significant other and while some find it magical others may not like large crowds of onlookers and one guest took embarrassing their financee to the next level by prank proposing to her all of the park.
Kelly Lavery posted a video of the rejected proposals to TikTok where it has been viewed over 6 million times.
Take a look at the video below:
A woman shared footage to her TikTok page that shows her fiance pretending to propose to her multiple times during a recent trip to Disney World in Florida. Each time, as the man gets down on one knee, his embarrassed fiancé walks away, leaving the crowds completely confused.
Lavery wrote in the video’s description, “We were already engaged so he knew he could get away with this. We go back in June, wish me luck.”
In a follow-up video, Lavery explained that her fiancé had previously proposed (for real) at the couple’s house. According to her, the only witness to the event was their dog, which was fine since Lavery apparently doesn’t like making a scene.
Bring on the Easter Weekend treats! Now through Sunday, you can snag a limited edition ‘Rollin’ with Your Peeps Easter Donut’ at Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew in Disney Springs at Disney World.
The classic glazed donut is dipped in vanilla frosting and topped with pastel candy decor, green buttercream “Easter Grass,” malted milk ball “Easter Eggs,” and a Peep for good measure.
Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew took to social media to show off the yummy treat as you can see in the post below:
Hippity to the hoppity!
Easter week is upon us & we're celebrating by offering up our limited edition 𝙍𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣' 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝…
As of Tuesday, guests with Apple devices can now use the Disney MagicMobile service that basically turns their smartphones into a MagicBand, allowing contactless entry into the parks.
Available now on iPhone and Apple Watch and coming soon to other smart devices, Disney MagicMobile service is a fun, easy-to-use new way for guests to experience The Most Magical Place on Earth. The service is offered in addition to other options such as the MagicBand, the colorful, all-in-one bracelet, which will continue to be available and introduced in even more colors, designs and limited-edition fan favorites into the future.
Below are a few helpful tips to get started with Disney MagicMobile service:
Create A Customized Digital Pass: Guests can create a Disney MagicMobile pass through the My Disney Experience app and add it to the Wallet app on iPhone or the digital wallet on other smart devices. You can customize your pass by choosing from several Disney-themed designs that animate upon use (including special designs just for Annual Passholders and DVC Members)! For added ease, you may also store multiple passes on a single device, a great option for families.
Easily Enter the Parks and More: Simply hold your iPhone, Apple Watch, or other smart device near an access point when entering the parks or using other available features, just like you do with a MagicBand. With Express Mode on iPhone and Apple Watch, guests do not even need to wake or unlock their Apple device, or open up the app, to use their Disney MagicMobile pass. As a reminder, valid park admission and a park reservation are required for park entry and must be linked to your account.
Discover Other App Enhancements: We’ve also added a new feature in the My Disney Experience app that allows you to automatically link your Disney PhotoPass attraction photos and videos to your profile through your smartphone. Just confirm your settings in advance of riding at participating attractions. The My Disney Experience app also enables Disney Resort hotel guests to unlock their room door using our current digital room key feature.
You may use Disney MagicMobile service, a MagicBand or a card interchangeably for added flexibility. Disney Resort hotel guests can purchase MagicBands at a special, pre-arrival price. Guests can also pick up a Key to the World card at their convenience at the front desk.
You’ll definitely feel light headed when wearing this Disney Parks headband featuring pink and purple Mickey Mouse balloons inside the translucent ears.
Decorated with ”Walt Disney World” and ”Disneyworld Resort” logos and Mickey faces, the light-up balloons are complemented by a light green velvet headband.
You can find this Mickey Mouse Ballon Ears Headband at Fantasy Faire in the Magic Kingdom or online at shopDisney.com for $32.86.
Magic in the details
Created especially for Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort
Translucent ears feature pink and purple Mickey Mouse balloons inside
Disney on Tuesday unveiled the design of the new specialty license plate that Florida registered car-owners can pre-order.
Inspired by the color scheme of Cinderella Castle, this magical plate is currently available for presale and will also help make even more dreams true, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida and their work granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Interested drivers can purchase a presale voucher now for $25 plus applicable state administration fees exclusively through their local County Tax Collector’s Office, license plate agencies (DMVs) across the State of Florida, or online through the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office at https://www.octaxcol.com/specialty-license-plate-vouchers/.
Disney has a longstanding relationship with Make-A-Wish, dating back to 1980, and since then, more than 140,000 Disney-inspired wishes have been granted, including thousands taking place at Walt Disney World Resort. This license plate is a unique opportunity to commemorate 50 years of Central Florida magic.
For more information about the Walt Disney World Resort specialty license plate, visit www.flhsmv.gov, and learn more about The World’s Most Magical Celebration at www.DisneyWorld.com/50.