D23 Gold Member Benefits Changing for D23 Expo; List of Restaurants Offering Mobile Ordering

D23 Gold Member Benefits Changing for D23 Expo:

D23 announced some changes to member benefits for its Gold Members and Gold Family Members. In past years, Gold and Gold Family members were allowed 1 hour early access prior to normal attendees to the Expo. This year they will receive priority seating for the presentations being held in Hall D23 and D23 Expo Arena, an complimentary Expo-exclusive print, as well as discounts from Disney partners such as Havaianas, Ozobot, Steiff, and Thomas Kinkade. 

Also of note, D23 Charter members (members who joined back in 2009 and have maintained their Gold membership status) will have access to a private lounge that will be just off the show floor where they will be able relax and purchase food and beverage.

This year's D23 Expo will once again being using the The Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center which wasn't used for D23 Expo 2015. The 2017 D23 Expo will take place July 14 through July 16. 

Source:The Laughing Place

List of Walt Disney World Restaurants Offering Mobile Ordering Discovered:

Last month Walt Disney World announced that when Santu'li Canteen opens in Pandora: The World of Avatar opens will offer Mobile Ordering. They also announced that it would soon be coming to other Walt Disney World restaurants in the near future. Here is what the service entails:

Mobile ordering allows you to pay for meals on-the-go with the My Disney Experience app, bypassing the queue to order in the restaurant. Using the app, you can select any of the menu items, customize them as you wish, and pre-pay for the meal. Arriving at the restaurant, guests will simply tap “I’m Here”, which will notify cast members to prepare the meal. When it’s ready, you will be alerted in the app to pick up the food at a designated service window. Only credit card payments will be accepted for this service, with Dining Plan guests still having to use the normal queue, at least as of right now.

WDW News Today has discovered at least 15 Quick Service Restaurants that will offer Mobile Ordering which includes Santu'li Canteen. Here is the list:

• ABC Commissary
• Backlot Express
• Columbia Harbor House
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
• D-Luxe Burger
• Electric Umbrella
• Flame Tree Barbecue
• Liberty Inn
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
• Pinocchio Village Haus
• Pizzafari
• Restaurantosaurus
• Satu’li Canteen
• Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
• Tortuga Tavern

No official start date at the other 14 restaurants has been announced, but we definitely do know that the Santu'li Canteen will be offering the service beginning May 27 when Pandora: The World of Avatar opens at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Source: WDW News Today

Where has the blog been?

Over the last week, I have been tied up with a family member being in the hospital. That family member being my father. It's always been rough talking about this topic as my father has had health issues for the majority of my life. This last week has just been another bump in the road we call life. Is it fair to see someone you love suffer, no of course not. I have learned to deal with it in my own way with the help of family and friends.

Me and my dad outside Be Our Guest

The blog will be back soon I hope, it hasn't been easy running back and forth to the hospital especially the last few days. Last Friday, he was transferred to a hospital that is over an hour away from my house. With luck, he will be back home or a rehab facility to regain his strength back in the next few days.. It's been a long week and there hasn't been a lot of magic or even spark to begin writing.

I am not looking for anything just prayers that he makes a fully recovery and comes home soon. Thank you everyone in advance but a huge shoutout to my family and especially my girlfriend Veronica for keeping me sane over the last week. Also the MouseLife crew, you have all been awesome. The Disney magic of It All Started With a Mouse will be back before you know it.

Thank You everyone for your continued support.
John

The Polite Pig to Open April 10; New PhotoPass Experience at China Pavilion

The Polite Pig to Open April 10 in Disney Springs:

The Polite Pig is ready to open and it will make its grand opening next Monday, April 10. The new restaurant will open in the Town Center of Disney Springs. It is the newest concept for award-winning Orlando chefs, husband and wife James and Julie Petrakis. They will also be joined with the opening of this new venture with James' brother Brian. They couple has a sister restaurants in The Ravenous Pig and Swine & Sons in Winter Park and Cask & Larder at the Orlando International Airport. 

The Polite Pig will feature “modern barbecue” in an open kitchen, with Southern sides like a tomato and watermelon salad, mac and cheese and smoked corn with lime butter. (Sauce fans, there’s a bar with seven different ways to top your ‘cue, from Layla’s Sweet to Fresno Hot Sauce.) Add a solid selection of craft beers and cocktails, and a bourbon bar with more than 50 selections, from small batch bourbons to a Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year Family Reserve.

We talked with Julie, who met James, by the way, while studying at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Both are Central Florida natives.

The husband and wife combo did an interview with the Disney Parks Blog. Here it is what they had to say:

Why did you decide to open at restaurant at Disney Springs? 
Disney approached us with the idea of opening a fast-casual outpost that would represent the atmosphere and quality of our Winter Park location, The Ravenous Pig. We shared their enthusiasm for bringing a true local restaurant to Disney Springs.

Is the menu similar to The Ravenous Pig and Cask & Larder, your other restaurants in Central Florida? 
I would say that the menu is similar in its approach to using quality, seasonal ingredients, with our signature touch. We’ll have Cask & Larder Brewery beers, cocktails on tap and also an extensive Bourbon Bar. And this restaurant will focus a bit more on wood-smoked and grilled items.

Anything you’ll offer at The Polite Pig that will be a signature, or exclusive to that restaurant? 
Most of the menu will be exclusive to The Polite Pig: modern barbecue with The Ravenous Pig twist. Like the Southern Pig Sandwich with pulled pork off the smoker, apple slaw, mustard sauce and Duke’s mayo; peel-and-eat shrimp with bourbon-cocktail sauce, and crispy Brussels sprouts with whiskey caramel.

Who will be the chef daily in The Polite Pig kitchen? 
We have two of our Ravenous Pig/Cask & Larder veterans at the helm, Jared Thate and Allie Weldon, along with Chef James Petrakis’ guidance and inspiration.

Tell us about the craft beer program. 
We will feature four of our beloved Cask & Larder Brewery brews on tap, as well as a couple other Florida/domestic craft beers.

Anything special about The Polite Pig cocktails?
We will feature five house cocktails on tap, including some of our crowd favorites from The Ravenous Pig, such as the Gin and Tonic and Old-Fashioned.

How many seats and describe the décor. 
We’ll have 190 seats, and the décor pays homage to the beloved swine of The Polite Pig, as well as antiquity. Whimsical pigs on various adventures can be seen throughout the space, and rustic touches are used for custom featured art pieces. Large faded graphics also adorn the main wall of the space adding to the feel of the long-time family run business.

What’s your favorite dish on The Polite Pig menu? 
My favorite appetizer is the Hop Salt Pretzel with beer cheese fondue and IPA mustard. Favorite sandwich: the Salmon BLT with bacon jam, marinated tomato, romaine and aioli. I love that with a side of charred broccoli tossed with herb buttermilk dressing and house granola.

What do you think is the secret to good food? 
Using quality seasonal ingredients and taking great care of it by enhancing with smoke/cooking, proper seasoning and passion!

Source: Disney Parks Blog

New PhotoPass Experience Coming to the China Pavilion at Epcot:

Guests visiting the China Pavilion will now be able to experience a brand new PhotoPass experience. Every evening beginning at 7 p.m. (weather permitting) guests can take park in this new nighttime experience by having their photo taken with a glowing lotus flower blossom. 

A Disney PhotoPass photographer will be stationed at the pavilion to take the photos. You can purchase photos taken with this prop individually or receive unlimited digital downloads of all your vacation photos from Disney PhotoPass Service by purchasing Memory Maker before, during or after your visit to Walt Disney World Resort.

Source: Disney Parks Blog

Gondola Transportation System Just May be Coming to Walt Disney World

Last month, a well-known Disney news site uncovered what appeared to be a permit filed by Walt Disney Imagineering for a new transportation system. Many laughed it off and said it would just be too expensive for Disney to invest in at Walt Disney World. Then this past Friday, a "Notice of Commencement" was filed for the construction and infrastructure at 6 different locations that would correspond to the gondola's route.

The locations are located at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the International Gateway at Epcot, a station between Art of Animation and Disney's Pop Century, a station at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, a turn at the intersection near Buena Vista Dr. and Epcot Resorts Blvd. near the Speedway Gas Station, and a turn near Disney's Caribbean Beach Property. You can see the list hear along with a diagram of the route.

The "Notice of Commencement" is typically means that construction is set to begin soon, the plan Disney has in mind supposedly to have the new transportation system be completed for Magic Kingdom's 50th Anniversary in 4 years in 2021.

We should get a general feel with what they are building in the next few months once construction begins. We also should get an official announcement you would think in the coming weeks. What do you think about the Gondola transportation system that appears to be coming to Walt Disney World.

Main Street Electrical Parade Extended in Disneyland; My Disney Experience Gets Major Updates

Main Street Electrical Paraded Extended in Disneyland:

Good news for guests at Disneyland as the Main Street Electrical Parade will not be glowing away in June.

The parade which was supposed to end in June in a limited run at Disneyland has been extended through the summer. The parade will now be glowing away on August 20, 2017. More details to come soon so stay tuned.

My Disney Experience App Sees Major Updates:

The My Disney Experience App has see some major changes in a new update to the app. Here are the details of the changes released today on the Disney Parks Blog:

To enhance your experience when visiting Walt Disney World Resort, we continue to innovate and use technology in new ways, which is why we are excited to launch a newly redesigned My Disney Experience app for all mobile users today! The enhanced My Disney Experience app features a look and feel to make planning and enjoying your Walt Disney World Resort vacation easier than ever. 

The new My Disney Experience mobile app opens right to the park maps to help you find attractions, restaurants, restrooms and more. It makes it easier for you to navigate through our parks so you can spend more time enjoying the magic of Walt Disney World Resort. A new section called “Spotlight” highlights new park experiences and entertainment offerings to help you find out the latest and greatest happenings at the parks. 

And when you stay at one of our Disney resorts, you will be able to use the new feature called “My Resort Dashboard,” which gives you access to your resort reservation details all in one place, including the ability to see room number, theme, building and floor once you have your room assignment. “My Resort Dashboard” even gives you directions to your resort using Disney transportation options, a map showing you the location of your room and a link to directly call the Resort Front Desk if you need further assistance during your stay. 

For guests who enjoy visiting our other Disney Parks around the world, the new My Disney Experience app now features the same look and feel as our other park apps, making the mobile experience seamless across the globe.

Here is a video they released highlighting the changes:



Source: Disney Parks Blog

Countdown to Pandora - First Look at the Na'vi Translator Device

Today, the Disney Parks Blog revealed their next item of merchandise guests will be able purchase when they visit Pandora - The World of Avatar. Guests will be able to purchase a Na'vi translator device to help them guide their way through Pandora. Merchandise Product Developer Cody Hampton gave the details on the device.

“This device was originally developed by Alpha Centauri Expeditions founder Marshall Lamm. The Na’vi have no written language, so the translator will be a helpful tool for any human visiting Pandora. Guests using the translator can learn how to pronounce 90 Na’vi words using interchangeable translation cards. The device also lights up at night, which makes it perfect for nighttime explorations on Pandora.”

The Na’vi Translator set will come packaged with 15 translation cards. The device has a clasp that extends up to 12-inches and can be attached to a belt or backpack. Additional translation cards will be sold in trading card packs, each containing eight randomly selected cards. There are some common cards such as Nouns (Blue) and Adjectives (Purple). Other cards will be less common to find in the trading packs including Animals (Orange), Phrases (Aqua), and Landscapes (Tan). The rarest cards are Plants (Green) and Gear (Yellow).

Cody added, "When selecting the words and phrases for this set, we thought about the most essential words a guest might use when exploring another country on Earth." Hampton's favorite word is 'Ikran' which mean Banshee in the Na'vi language. He partnered with Lightstorm Entertainment and Dr. Paul Frommer, creator of the Na'vi language for "Avatar," to acquire audio recordings of spoken Na'vi words for the translator. 

Pandora - The World of Avatar opens at Disney's Animal Kingdom on May 27. 

Source: Disney Parks Blog

Wreck-It Ralph 2 Gets Title, Plus Details on Cast

Ralph is going to break the internet, in the sequel to Disney's "Wreck-It Ralph." Last night, Oh My Disney revealed the title and some details for the cast. The title will be "Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2." Here is the little video that revealed the title:

Next year, he's gonna break it 👊. Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 opens in theatres on March 9, 2018. pic.twitter.com/EJw4SqCZV5

— Oh My Disney (@OhMyDisney) March 29, 2017

Now for the cast which already will be seeing John C. Reilly as Ralph and Sarah Silverman as Vanellope. Last night, it was revealed that Jane Lynch who was Sergeant Calhoun and Jack McBrayer  who voiced Fix-It Felix will also be returning for the film. The film will be directed by Rich Moore and Phil Johnston with Clark Spencer producing. They all have worked previously on "Wreck-It Ralph" and most recently worked on the Oscar-winning film in Disney's "Zootopia."

The basis of the film is of course Ralph escaping the arcade and traveling through the expansive universe of the internet, where he breaks it. Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 smashes into theaters March 9, 2018.