Walt Disney World Resort Non-Park Discussion Thread

[coasterbill]

While I’m not an expert in local Florida politics, the fact that Disney isn’t bothering to fight this is probably telling. That’s a PR calculation, but not one that they would likely make if they were all that upset about it. My gut says that they need to have DeSantis act like he accomplished something big, but it probably won’t change much-of-anything of substance so Disney would rather just let this stupidity die.

This is just so stupid. They never cared about this bill and Ron DeSantis knows that they never cared about this bill. The last thing they ever wanted to do was make a statement on it, but their own cast members protested and demanded it. Then they caved, and miscalculated the reaction that they were going to get from the other side while trying to stay out of it and play it down the middle in a world where that’s no-longer possible.

They don’t care and everyone involved knows that they don’t care. Everybody involved in this knows this whole thing is made up bullshit for political points but yet, here we are… it’s childish idiocy.

[anonymouscactus]

On 3/2/2023 at 9:08 PM, coasterbill said:

While I’m not an expert in local Florida politics

You should be by now... you're only there more than anyone else in the country that lives outside of Florida. Seriously. Just move already!

I have nothing else to contribute.

[jedimaster1227]

Yesterday Raglan Road hosted TPR and other outlets for a preview of this weekend's Mighty St. Patrick's Festival. This annual festival has been running at Raglan Road Pub for 17 of the 18 years that the Pub has operated at Disney Springs, and each year the offerings expand with new acts and new food and beverage options, all on top of what already makes Raglan Road a special place to visit year round. The Mighty St. Patrick's Festival takes place this year between March 16th and March 19th!

One of my favorite places to eat and drink in Orlando!

We had an opportunity to sample some Raglan Road favorites as well as new menu items, starting with the Berry UnIrish (a non-alcoholic drink featuring muddled blackberries, fresh lemon juice, rosemary & honey syrup and sparkling lemon Pellegrino) and the Misty Irish Eyed (a mixture of Irish Mist honey, Grace O'Malley gin, Italicus, lemon sour & prosecco).

While a normal visit to Raglan Road is filled with entertaining musical and dancing acts, during the Mighty St. Patrick's Festival, the schedule is filled from end to end authentic Irish entertainment!

In what I could best compare to a savory cupcake, the Truly Scrumpet Goat Fig features caramelized (torched!) goat's cheese with a fig & port jam on a chive scrumpet with walnuts, pickled beets & poached figs). This was easily the most unique and standout taste of evening!

"That Salad with Seared Beef" was a surprising combination of flavors, textures and perfectly prepared ingredients. I'd happily order a plate of this during my next visit!

A staple on the Raglan Road menu for many years, the Dalkey Duo is a perfect Dalkey mustard beer battered Cheshire Heritage pork sausage served with Dalkey mustard mayo and buffalo apple sauce. These battered sausages are heavy and filling but the rich batter and unique sausage make them perfectly addicting bites that you'll definitely want to keep digging into.

There's lots to see and hear while dining at Raglan Road!

The center of the restaurant gives guests an up-close chance to experience all the fun of the pub.

The Seafood Sharing Board offers a selection of sesame crusted tuna, smoked fish cakes, "The Pink Panko" (panko crusted seared salmon) and the "Kiss Before Shrimp" (a garlicky-bathed set of shrimp bites with toast). 

It is always a pleasure to hear from the owners of Raglan Road Pub. The restaurant along with the attached shop, bars and Cookes of Dublin quick service venue are all owned an operated independently of any larger corporation. The venues operate out of scratch kitchens so you know everything is served at its freshest. Much of the staff and entertainers are Irish and the menus offer authentic tastes of Irish heritage with modern flair.

Clare Sands (pictured right) is a 6ht generation fiddler, bilingual singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist who is performing daily along with her sister (pictured left) during the Mighty St. Patrick's Festival before moving on to perform in New York, Washington D.C., the United Kingdom and Europe. 

We capped off our tasting experience with the Guinness Chocolate Cake, made up of dark chocolate, soda bread ice cream and a whiskey caramel sauce. 

There is no better place to experience authentic Irish step-dancing than at Raglan Road Pub.

Defying gravity.

Step-dancing isn't reserved to the main stage, with a center stage to put guests in the center of the action.

A truly unique experience!

Thanks again to Raglan Road for hosting us for another fantastic evening! Be sure to check out the Mighty St. Patrick's Festival this weekend, or if you can't make it before then, don't hesitate to add the Pub to your future Orlando plans--you won't regret it!

[bert425]

well . this happened today.

(and to quote @coasterbill.. it really does explain why "Disney hasn't bothered to fight it")

https://nordot.app/1013893337012584448?c=592622757532812385

here's the headline from the Orlando Sentinel

"Gov. DeSantis’ new Reedy Creek board says Disney stripped its power"

 

 

CNN picked it up now too:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/29/politics/desantis-disney-board-control/index.html

[Garet]

^ My favorite is how long the lawyers have managed to put the restrictions in place

Quote

[T]his Declaration shall continue in effect until twenty one (21) years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England living as of the date of this Declaration,” the document said.

Source

 

The king has 7 descendants right now, 2 sons and 5 grandchildren and his current youngest descendant is Prince Harry's kid at around 2 years old... plus 21 years after that.

[A.J.]

Disney has announced the 17th Disney Vacation Club resort, The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort!

Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Vacation Club today announced proposed plans to bring refreshed cabin hideaways to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, offering guests a private retreat in the midst of nature with many of the comforts of home.

“For more than 50 years, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground has offered guests the opportunity to explore nature with their loved ones while staying in the heart of Walt Disney World Resort,” said Bill Diercksen, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Vacation Club. “We’re excited to continue to build upon the resort’s rich legacy and elevate the cabin experience for our Members and all guests to enjoy for years to come.”

Nestled across 750 acres of scenic woodlands, proposed plans call for more than 350 new cabins to replace the existing cabins at the resort, which have delighted guests for many years and will soon be ready for a refresh. Additionally, the proposed cabins would be built with an eye toward the environment, utilizing the footprint of the existing cabins and taking advantage of more energy-efficient features.

Design concepts offer a fresh take on the current cabin experience and are inspired by the resort’s idyllic setting, while also paying homage to the resort’s unique culture and heritage through the magic of Disney storytelling. Each proposed, stand-alone cabin offers spacious accommodations, sleeping up to six adults, and features a bedroom, bathroom, living room, full kitchen and private patio. A select number of cabins are also expected to be dog-friendly.

As with all Disney Vacation Club resorts, the proposed cabins will continue to be open for reservations to all guests, including those who are not Disney Vacation Club Members, based on availability.

The planned cabins are part of a collection of improvement projects underway at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground that are designed to enhance the guest experience. Examples include proposed pool and walking trail enhancements as well as new expanded dining experiences at Trail’s End Restaurant and Crockett’s Tavern, with more exciting news to come.

Located right in the heart of Walt Disney World magic and a boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom Park, Members and guests would have easy access to the theme parks and be able to enjoy the resort’s cherished amenities, including horseback riding at the recently updated Tri-Circle-D Ranch, fishing, walking trails, pools, playgrounds for the little ones, Chip ’n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long and rootin’ tootin’ dining and entertainment at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. Campsite accommodations will also continue to be available for guests. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort is projected to open in 2024 and would be the 17th Disney Vacation Club resort. Additional information regarding project details, the start of sales and rental bookings will be released at a later date.

[Hilltopper39]

I've seen a lot of people trashing the look of these on various social media channels in comparison to the existing cabins that are a bit more "rustic" and actually look like cabins but I don't know, I kind of like these. I'm sure the footprint of these won't be that much different than the existing units but I like the more fresh and modern look, even if it does kind of resemble a shipping container.

[Chiselphane]

They look a lot like the hiking trail shelters around here, with the sloped roofs and high  windows.   Feels a good fit for the resort.

[SharkTums]

I love the look of the cabins and think it's great they're getting redone, I don't totally understand making them a DVC but I'm also not into the whole time share thing so???

[CedarFlags]

I'm kind of obsessed with this one aspect of the Disney v DeSantis lawsuit... Disney never expressed concern over 1st Amendment protection, so DeSantis and his collaborators never thought to censor themselves.  Normally in this kind of case, the Plaintiff would have the difficult task of proving to the court what the motive behind the Governor's actions was.  And it would be easy for the Governor to say that it was purely financial and administrative.  But because Disney stayed quiet, the prosecution now has dozens of pieces of evidence of defendants very explicitly saying: "the government of Florida is retaliating against The Walt Disney Company for engaging in political speech."

[AmyUD06]

31 minutes ago, CedarFlags said:

I'm kind of obsessed with this one aspect of the Disney v DeSantis lawsuit... Disney never expressed concern over 1st Amendment protection, so DeSantis and his collaborators never thought to censor themselves.  Normally in this kind of case, the Plaintiff would have the difficult task of proving to the court what the motive behind the Governor's actions was.  And it would be easy for the Governor to say that it was purely financial and administrative.  But because Disney stayed quiet, the prosecution now has dozens of pieces of evidence of defendants very explicitly saying: "the government of Florida is retaliating against The Walt Disney Company for engaging in political speech."

It shouldn't come as much surprise.  Disney's attorneys are quite possibly the sharpest legal minds in the English-speaking world, whereas DeSantis and his cronies are petulant children who think if they repeat a lie enough it'll become true.

Sadly, the true victims in this are the remaining sane Florida residents who will foot the bill for the DeSantis administration to unsuccessfully defend this lawsuit (and now to fund their own against Disney, apparently) through their tax dollars.

[Satans Hockey]

Can't say I'm surprised, this was never my cup of tea but the people who went seemed to enjoy it. The prices were just too much for a lot of people who would have wanted to do this... 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/theme-parks/2023/05/18/disneys-star-wars-galactic-starcruiser/70233141007/

"The final voyage will be September 28 through 30. In coming days, Disney will contact guests who had reservations booked for later dates about rescheduling or canceling their plans. 

In the meantime, new reservation bookings will be paused until May 26."

[mikeykaise]

19 hours ago, Satans Hockey said:

Can't say I'm surprised, this was never my cup of tea but the people who went seemed to enjoy it. The prices were just too much for a lot of people who would have wanted to do this... 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/theme-parks/2023/05/18/disneys-star-wars-galactic-starcruiser/70233141007/

"The final voyage will be September 28 through 30. In coming days, Disney will contact guests who had reservations booked for later dates about rescheduling or canceling their plans. 

In the meantime, new reservation bookings will be paused until May 26."

I mean the whole thing is an awesome concept for us Star War fans but honestly who can afford that much money for a 3 night stay so honestly I can't say I'm not surprised.

[SharkTums]

Retheme it to Marvel and I'll go!

[bert425]

^ I'd be TOTALLY in. . if they rethemed it to "Tron". .and you're "inside the Grid" during your stay.

[CedarFlags]

On 11/20/2022 at 11:25 PM, CedarFlags said:

Friendly reminder, folks... there never has been, and will never be, a CEO of the Walt Disney Company who cares more about anything than he cares about money.

In light of Iger's recent comments on the WGA and SAG strikes, I just wanna say that switching Bobs was never going to be the magic cure everyone hoped for.

[jedimaster1227]

Gideon's Bakehouse has announced a new venture at Disney Springs, Six Ravens. This new quick service location will serve "Coffyns," yeast bread-based hand pies with savory fillings. Other menu items teased include potatoes, local beers and more of Gideon's namesake desserts. This location will operate separately and in addition to the existing Gideon's Bakehouse location at Disney Springs (along with the original East End Market location).

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTko0nTDh5I/?img_index=1 

Today is the 5-year anniversary of Gideon’s in Disney Springs, and we’re ready to celebrate with you! It feels like a good day to make an announcement. This year might be our biggest year of growth, and there is one little mystery that people have been asking about. So let me tell you a little story.

A few years ago, we started exploring ideas for something new that met a grab-and-go need in a small space. I will admit that another small shop caused some hesitation, but an idea came to mind that was hard to ignore. What if we created a place that offered up savory delights in collaboration with some of our favorite Central Florida chefs? After all, I got my start at Disney Springs as a secret menu item at the Polite Pig. It’s important to pay it forward and bring more local flavors to the international crowds we meet every day. So with that, I introduce you to Six Ravens. This new concept specializes in a creation we call Coffyns, the original term for an old school hand pie. This fluffy yeast bread is filled with flavors created not only by the talented minds in Gideon’s kitchen but also by some of your favorite Orlando culinary superstars. Combine that with potatoes, local draft beer, and, of course, some tasty desserts, and you will have a fun new place to fuel your park adventures.

Six Ravens opens at Disney Springs later this year. Stay tuned here for details or follow @six.ravens! I’ll eventually start telling you more about our journey and share some behind-the-scenes as we build the stories in this new chapter.

In addition to the unveiling of Six Ravens, we’d like to celebrate with a free gift! As you might have seen in my previous post, a Gargoyle Print will be available exclusively at Gideon’s in Disney Springs today! Limit one per transaction. While supplies last!

We’re also adding some Birthday Cake Dunking Sticks to our menu today! Perfect for dipping in your Cold Brew! Both locations! While Supplies Last. Limit 2 per person.

I just want to end by saying Thank You for supporting small local business at Disney Springs for the past 5 years. It has been an honor to represent our local community on the big stage.

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/food-drink/food-news/six-ravens-by-gideons-bakehouse-owner-steve-lewis-is-coming-to-disney-springs/

 

Gideon’s Bakehouse started as a cult fave inside East End Market 10 years ago, then grew into an international phenomenon when owner Steve Lewis began hawking his half-pound cookie behemoths inside Disney Springs five years ago to the day.

Lewis is now capitalizing on Gideon’s popularity with a concept called Six Ravens, a shop specializing in grab-and-go hand pies he’s calling “coffyns” — fluffy yeast rolls encasing a variety of savory fillings. Even better is that he’ll work with some local culinarians, like Eliot Hillis and Seth Parker of Red Panda Noodle and Bruno Zacchini of Pizza Bruno, on the hand pie offerings.

Steve Lewis Credit: courtesy photo

“Six Ravens is the result of collaborating with the family we’ve created at Gideon’s, and our friendships within the community, ” Lewis says. “We look forward to being a gateway to local flavors on the international stage by spotlighting our Orlando superstars.”

Lewis says he spent years tinkering and experimenting with various coffyn fillings in his downtime with friends and peers from Orlando’s food scene. Spreading the wealth and affording local outfits with some powerhouse exposure was always the plan.

“I got my start at Disney Springs as a secret menu item at the Polite Pig,” he says. “It’s important to pay it forward and bring more local flavors to the international crowds we meet every day.”

Six Ravens will open in the building previously occupied by The Art of Shaving just a few doors down from Gideon’s Bakehouse. Lewis says the space might be small, but promises to “pack your world with flavors and the escapism that comes with the world of Gideon’s.”

Gideon’s Bakehouse art director Michael Reyes will curate the design and imagery of the space, while Studio 407 will oversee the buildout.

As far as the name is concerned, “The Six Ravens” first appeared on Gideon’s bill of fare in November 2023, and the menu card featuring a cloaked figure with a conspiracy of those feathered croakers has since become a collectible item. “I’ve been hinting for years that some of the Gideon’s characters are meant to venture off and create their own adventures.”

From a historical perspective, ravens have long been tied to the lore of the Tower of London. Legend claims that should the six resident ravens ever leave, the kingdom will crumble.

Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw!

Smashed Potato with Honey Mustard Credit: Six Ravens

Accompanying those coffyns will be smashed potato fritters with dips ranging from sweet heat to a storied honey mustard that Lewis has been serving to his friends for decades. Six Ravens will also collaborate with Sideward Brewing and the The Ravenous Pig Brewing Co. on beer offerings. And, yes, there will be sweet treats.

Lewis hasn’t finalized the menu as yet, but he’ll reveal the flavors and collaborations bit by bit as the opening date nears, which should be sometime in Q3. That said, Hillis teased that his coffyn contribution may include chicken curry.

Will we see four-and-20 blackbirds baked into one of those pies? Follow @six.ravens to find out.