MickeyBlog News for July 18th, 2022
EPCOT’s most famous festival opened this weekend. We’ll discuss it, the closing of two Disneyland presentations, and some demolition.
Yes, I’d describe this as an explosive edition of MickeyBlog News.
Credit: Disney
Welcome to Food & Wine 2022!
On July 14th, EPCOT opened its (proverbial) doors and a crowd stormed through the gate.
For the first time in three years, guests knew that they could visit a full-fledged version of a beloved event.
Yes, the 2022 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival has opened, and it’s the real deal!
EPCOT hosts nearly 30 Global Marketplaces. MickeyBlog has posted the menus for all the places…and I hope you’ve already eaten.
If not, reading that list will leave you starving for food, presumably something Disney-related!
You can click around the site to read our thoughts on many of the new items and Global Marketplaces.
Overall, this year’s event has shown that Disney’s culinary team remains full of surprises. Innovations abound, while old favorites remain.
Opinions are mixed about what’s better, the classic dishes or the new stuff.
Photo: Disney
Whichever one you prefer, you’re sure to leave the park happy. The Global Marketplaces remain one of the best bargains at Disney…if not THE best.
You can eat well and cheap, something that’s not easy to do anywhere at the moment.
By the way, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series has also returned. Disney needed a while to figure out the bands performing this year, but the schedule is full now.
You can read the complete list here. Thus far, all you’ve missed are the Baha Men.
The Disney Wish Embarks on Its Maiden Voyage
Members of MickeyBlog were among a fortunate few invited guests on the true maiden voyage of the Disney Wish.
However, paid guests took a cruise on the new vessel this weekend. History will remember them as the first tourists on the Disney Wish.
Like MickeyBlog and everyone else thus far, this batch of cruise enthusiasts have had a terrific time.
Disney Cruise Line has redefined the cruise industry with its forward-thinking new ship. That doesn’t mean that the maiden voyage wasn’t without a few hiccups, though.
Credit: Disney
For starters, the much-anticipated Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular wasn’t ready for prime time.
Instead, Disney announced that the new Aladdin show will suffer an indefinite delay.
Specifically, guests won’t enjoy the opportunity to watch this performance until late August.
Disney states that the show remains in rehearsals, which isn’t something that should be problematic at this late juncture.
As such, my blind speculation involves either technological issues in presenting the show or internal staffing issues.
Photo: Disney
Still, we’re only talking about a one-month delay, presuming that Aladdin doesn’t get pushed back again.
That wasn’t the only cancellation during the maiden voyage. Olaf’s Royal Picnic wasn’t available, either.
Photo: Disney
Disney actually sold these packages and had to provide refunds for the experience.
Somehow, cruise officials feel relieved about the maiden voyage, though. A few weeks ago, the vessel wasn’t quite ready for primetime.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog Livestream
Overall, the Disney Wish met all its primary goals and was only two hiccups away from perfection.
Disney will happily take that given everything that transpired during the pandemic construction.
The Disneyland and Walt Disney World Surprises
Ordinarily, mid-July is a slow period for park changes. Disney doesn’t want to disrupt anything during its busy season.
However, Walt Disney World has just thrown ordinary behavior out the window, trading it in for a mighty sledgehammer.
Okay, technically it was a wrecking ball. Yes, Disney has torn down the iconic Twilight Zone Tower of Terror sign on the way to Walt Disney World.
Admittedly, park officials should have done this years ago. The tower sign includes an elevator ride cart that should sway back and forth.
Unless there’s a stiff wind, that thing isn’t moving and hadn’t for many moons.
Still, many Disney fans like me associated that sign with bus rides around the parks and on Magical Express. It was one of the ways we knew we were at Disney.
Photo: Disney
As such, many of us are taking the change hard. Disney wasn’t messing around, either. That sign is nothing more than rubble now.
Meanwhile, Disney’s BoardWalk is also undergoing some changes.
Park planners are making room for the upcoming restaurant, The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers.
In preparation of that build, Disney is performing demo on the former ESPN Club, news that brings a tear to my eye.
The Walt Disney World campus was already lacking in places to watch the big game, and now they have torn down one of the best ones…for cake.
Disney needs more sports bars! People are already stuck having to leave the campus and at Twin Peaks too often…and that place ain’t great!
Photo: The disney blog
The Disneyland changes are more predictable. Disneyland Forever and the Main Street Electrical Parade will end their runs on September 1st.
Most people had expected this to happen right after Labor Day. So, it’s a few days early but in line with those beliefs.
Photo: Gene Duncan, photographer
Miscellaneous Disney News
The best news this week involves the upcoming Car Locator app.
Soon, My Disney Experience will introduce this functionality. When you pull up the app, it’ll register your car’s location.
Later, when you’re ready to go home, Car Locator will provide directions to your vehicle.
This enhancement will make everyone’s life easier, at least those who drive to the parks.
Meanwhile, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Green Army Drum Corps will return!
You can go back to shouting, “Look, it’s Andy!” and seeing whether the cast members will play along!
(Spoiler: They won’t Disney decided it was too dangerous a few years ago.)
Photo: DVC
Disney Vacation Club fans received some good news this week when we learned that we can borrow points again.
Without getting into the arcane details of DVC, the gist is that you use some of your vacation days early if so inclined.
Disney Vacation Club
Credit: Disney
During the pandemic, Disney cut the number of borrowed vacation days in half. Now, Disney has returned to pre-pandemic norms.
I realize the intricacies of this may not make sense to you. Believe me when I say that it’s a good thing, though.
Photo: Disney
We are down to a small handful of remaining pandemic restraints. Disney theme parks have survived and thrived during impossible circumstances.
