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At Universal Studios Orlando, Mardi Gras starts today! There will be live concerts, dazzling parades, plenty of beads, and lots of delicious food! This festival will be held on select nights from February 4 – April 16, 2023.
The main highlight of Mardi Gras is the big parade, right? So, Universal will have a spectacular parade with six new floats straight from New Orleans! Of course, the old favorites will return as well. Check the Universal app for dates and times.
You can catch plenty of beads as a spectator, or you can sign up to throw beads yourself from the floats. Spaces are limited though, so sign up in the Universal app as soon as the Virtual Queue window opens each day or book a float dining package, if available.
On select nights, there will be live performances on the Music Plaza Stage, kicking off with Patti LaBelle tonight, Feb 4th! Check the Universal Concert Lineup for the most up to date listing of performers and showtimes.
Of course, you can’t have a party without food! There will be many new foods this year, as well as some past favorites! Explore traditional Cajun favorites and international dishes inspired by Carnaval celebrations around the world.
Visit the International Flavors of Carnaval menu page to see what foods and beverages each booth is offering. Don’t forget to check out CityWalk and the Universal resorts for their share of Mardi Gras food as well.
For more details on Universal’s Mardi Gras celebration, visit the Mardi Gras event page.
Join in the festivities! We’ll be there!
Feel free to ping me if you’d like to chat about a Universal trip.
Pics © Universal.
For February, Disney World Resort guests can explore new and traditional ways to “Celebrate Soulfully” during Black History Month. From art to food to music and more, there will be a variety of experiences to celebrate, educate and honor Black heritage and culture throughout the resort.
At the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, guests will have the chance to meet two of the Black artists, visit a gallery exhibit featuring life-sized dresses and natural hair styled wigs seen in their photographic prints, and watch black Broadway performers during the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series.
Visitors to Disney Springs can hear live entertainment featuring black musicians on all three main Disney Springs stages on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday nights. The Art Walk: A Canvas of Expression will receive two new additions by Black artists, and they will both paint their work live during Black History Month.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom park continues to highlight Black culture through a variety of music and art found throughout the park. At the Conservation Station, guests can uncover the secrets of how Disney’s first Black animator, Floyd Norman, brought favorite characters to life using real life animals as inspiration.
There will also be Magic Shots across property featuring Princess Tiana in her element at Tiana’s place, selfies with Penny and friends from The Proud Family and more.
And of course, guests can explore both existing, returning, and brand-new Food & Beverage offerings across Walt Disney World. And new this year, each Food & Beverage location will now highlight the cast inspirations of dishes with photos and storytelling.
We hope everyone enjoys all the ways to “Celebrate Soulfully” at Walt Disney World for Black History Month and throughout the year.
As always, feel free to contact me if you want to chat about your Disney trip.
©Disney
Join in the kickoff of the Disney100 Celebration at Disneyland Resort via livestream on the Disney Parks social channels today, Jan 27, 2023 at 2pm PT.
Check out my Disney100 post for more details on the celebration.
Disneyland Resort in California kicks off the celebration of the 100th year of The Walt Disney Company today, January 27, 2023! The Disney Animation Studio was formed in 1923.
To celebrate this special occasion, the parks will be decorated in glimmering platinum decor, the characters will have new celebration outfits, and there will be new shows, events, and more throughout the year.
Disneyland Park will feature Wonderous Journeys, a new fireworks and projection show against Sleeping Beauty Castle and Main Street USA, which will take you on an adventure through all of the films developed by the Disney Animation Studios.
California Adventure Park will debut a new nighttime water show, World of Color – One, which continues the storytelling started by Walt with the Disney and Pixar characters. Its core message is that it only takes one drop of water to create one ripple that can turn into a huge wave. Many of the characters have dared to make waves and change their world.
Today, the new ride, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, will open as well! They just want to go on a nice leisurely picnic, but they end up on Goofy’s train and of course, hijinks ensue. Now, you’ll go along on this whimsical adventure too!
The rest of the redesigned Mickey’s Toontown area will open on March 8th. There will be new attractions and more play areas for the whole family to enjoy the day together.
Next month, on February 24th, we’ll see the return of the Magic Happens parade in Disneyland Park! Mickey will lead a calvacade of whimsical floats featuring favorite characters and moments from the Disney stories.
The Disney Gallery on Main Street USA will feature a new exhibit, Disney 100 Years of Wonder, showcasing the films that inspired attractions and vice versa. Be sure to check that out.
Of course, there will be plenty of new foods and merchandise to commemorate this festive occasion as well.
Currently, it looks like the bulk of the Disney100 events will take place in California, after all, that is where the Disney company started, but I believe the other parks around the world will join in the celebration too. Keep an eye out if you go to any of those parks also.
For more details on the various events, visit the Disney100 Celebration page.
Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning a Disney trip.
Pics ©Disney.
Disney finally announced the opening date and menu for the newest indoor table service restaurant – Roundup Rodeo BBQ – in Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios Disney World!
Drum roll….
It’s opening March 23, 2023!
You will need reservations but they haven’t announced when you can start booking yet. I’ll update here once I hear a date.
This will be themed like the rest of Toy Story Land. Using his toys, Andy has built this western style restaurant for his friends in his backyard. The fun decor is made up of his toys and games, like the rest of the land. It’s located on the right side, after the big Woody character, as you walk into Toy Story Land.
The meal will be brought out family-style for the whole table and consist of traditional American BBQ favorites. You start with cheddar biscuits and an assortment of fruit and garden salads. Then, you get a platter of house-smoked meats consisting of ribs, brisket, sausage, and chicken. A plant-based version is available upon request also. You can choose four sides for the table from a selection of slaws, baked beans, potatoes, mac & cheese, and veggies. Of course, there has to be dessert too. You can choose from a selection of cakes and pies. There will also be a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
No word yet if this will be all-you-care-to-enjoy, but that’s what it seems like. It seems reminiscent of other family-style restaurants like Garden Grill. This all sounds delicious though! Can’t wait to try it!
Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning a Disney trip.
Pics ©Disney
Celebrate the Lunar New Year at Disneyland California Adventure Park from January 20 – February 15, 2023!
This celebration brings together the traditions of Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean cultures for wishes of luck and prosperity for the Year of the Rabbit.
Don’t miss Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession honoring family, friendship and the potential for a fortune-filled new year.
Live entertainment will take place at the Paradise Gardens Bandstand throughout the day. A new Hurry Home nighttime water show will be featured at Paradise Pier. Check your Disneyland app for showtimes.
Sample a variety of Asian-inspired dishes prepared with a Disney twist at marketplaces throughout the park.
– Bamboo Blessings – new!
– Wrapped with Love – new!
– Lucky 8 Lantern
– Prosperity Bao & Buns
– Red Dragon Spice Traders
– Longevity Noodle Co.
Catch a photo with the Disney characters dressed in colorful Lunar New Year inspired attire and partake in the many crafts and activities. Stop by the Lucky Wishing Wall located in Paradise Gardens to add their own special message of hope, health and happiness for the upcoming year. Of course, there will be plenty of merchandise for your shopping pleasure as well.
Come join in the fun! I wish you a happy and healthy year!
© Disney
The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts starts today! It will run from January 13 – February 20, 2023. This festival will showcase the fine arts, performance arts, and culinary arts.
A key component of this festival will be the unique food booths showcasing dishes with a more artistic flair. Some look almost too pretty to eat!
Another highlight is the Disney on Broadway Concert Series where major Broadway stars perform songs from Disney Broadway musicals. Shows take place on select days at 5:30pm, 6:45pm and 8:00pm at the America Gardens Theatre in the America pavilion.
For the latest list of performances, visit the concert series page often as performers can change.
If you want to guarantee yourself a seat, you may want to book a dining package. Some shows will fill up fast.
Throughout the day around the World Showcase, other musical acts will also be performing.
One of the most unique features of this festival will be the many opportunities to see and participate in artistic activities yourself.
Artists will be showcasing their paintings and even painting live during the day. You can also join your fellow park-goers in painting a giant paint-by-numbers type wall mural.
Other artists will be drawing the most amazing 3D chalk art images on the sidewalks that you can then take pictures with. You really look like you’re inside that drawing. They’re incredible!
There will also be new photo ops, PhotoPass Magic Shots, plenty of merch, and many other fun activities. This is a short but unique festival. Try to catch it.
For more details, visit the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts page.
As always, feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning your Disney trip.
Pics ©Disney
More Disneyland California news! It’s been quite the week of announcements!
The French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square at Disneyland park will be reimagined into Tiana’s Palace!
Tiana’s Palace, with its peach-colored walls and fancy green wrought-iron balconies, will open later this year, followed by Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the thrilling attraction that will open in Disneyland park in 2024.
The new Tiana’s Palace restaurant will offer authentic New Orleans flavors inspired by Tiana’s friends and adventures in this quick-service style restaurant.
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.
While Tiana’s Palace is not a character dining location, guests may find Tiana in New Orleans Square.
The current French Market Restaurant and Mint Julep Bar will be closed beginning February 17, 2023, and will reopen as Tiana’s Palace (alongside Mint Julep Bar with its famous mint juleps and Mickey beignets) later in the year. No word yet on whether biegnets and mint juleps will be available elsewhere during this closure, but I would think so. I’ll update here if I hear anything else.
As always, feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning your Disney trip.
©Disney
In addition to all of those Disney World announcements yesterday, there were many upcoming changes announced for Disneyland in California as well!
Starting February 4, 2023, guests with Park Hopper tickets will be able to begin hopping at 11am.
Also starting Feb 4th, all ticketed park guests will receive complimentary PhotoPass digital downloads of attraction photos.
Disney will also significantly increase the number of days – nearly two months’ worth over the coming year – that will be offered at the lowest-priced one-day, one-park ticket at $104.
Magic Key passes will be available for sale more times during the year as inventory becomes available. Check the Disneyland.com/MagicKey site often for pass sale dates and availability.
Incase you missed it, Disneyland will be the epicenter for the Disney company’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in 2023, so there will be many events related to that throughout the year.
New nighttime shows for both parks, World of Color – ONE and Wondrous Journeys will be coming soon, along with the return of the Magic Happens parade.
The Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride will open January 27th. Then, the rest of the redesigned Toon Town area will open March 8th.
From Jan 20 – Feb 15th, there will be Lunar New Year festivities in California Adventure Park.
They are also offering a 3-day SoCal Resident weekday ticket for $73 per day through May 25th.
So many new things are coming to Disneyland this year! This is a good year to go! We just did a fun trip to Disneyland this past December. Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning a Disneyland trip.
