New Disney Resort Opens! + Flower&Garden News!

Hey there!

I don't want to alarm anybody but it's December 19th already. How did that happen?! Whew, things about this time start to get a little crazy. I hope you're doing okay managing it all and I thank you for taking a few minutes from a doubtless busy day to read my email. I do so appreciate that! I always strive each week to be brief and not waste your time, giving you what you need to know and links to know more about what interests you. It's the kind of email I like to read too. :)

So I'm back from the Treasure preview cruise and I just posted my full in-depth review on this week's podcast (spoiler- I loved it) but a few high-level things for you here. There are three things on this ship that are SO GOOD it's worth booking the trip just for them. I don't say that lightly because trust me I know these cruises are not cheap. (I'm also pricing some to go back on the Treasure and dang it is a lot.) But, this ship you guys. Wow. They knocked it out of the park. So many lessons were learned on the Wish and guest feedback was applied and I am so impressed.

But back to the three magical things- the trifecta that makes this ship worth your money- The incredible Haunted Mansion Parlor, the new Tale of Moana stage show, and the Coco-themed dinner show. All of those are Disney at its best. Operating with full creativity and heart. No budget cuts or compromises in guest experience. Just pure Disney magic at its finest. The links above are to short videos that will give you a sense of these experiences. But there's really no way to properly share them without you going and experiencing it yourself. I'm telling you- I can't stop thinking about this ship and I can't wait to go back with my family. We have it booked for next year but not until September, hence why I was pricing out next spring to see if we can make it work.

If you're not a cruise person, but you love the parks I am here to tell you- please consider trying one. I can't imagine you would be disappointed. I would especially recommend a 5-7 day, and going on the Dream, Fantasy, or Treasure. The Wish is really not my favorite, particularly for your first one. I don't make a penny whether you go or not, so this is just me telling you as a friend that you'll love it and probably be obsessed and want to do more and might even like it as much or more than a WDW trip. I know- strong statement!

Anyway, if you want to know more about what we loved about this ship and our personal experiences of the media preview, and how Louisa and I are so not cool take a listen to today's podcast on Apple or Spotify. Please come hang with us there!

Okay let's get into this week's news!

Flower & Garden Festival Dates: Those of you visiting Disney World this spring will be happy to know we have official dates for everyone's favorite Spring event, Epcot Flower and Garden Festival which will bloom at Walt Disney World from March 5 to June 2, 2025! All your favorites will be returning with more details to come soon. Check out Disney's article here.

New DVC Island Tower Opens: Yesterday the new tower at Polynesian Resort officially opened. I stopped by to check out the common areas along with the quick food spot and I was pleasantly surprised with the theming and vibe and how it compliments the Polynesian resort next door. The concept art looked a little bland, as does the side of the building from the road, but the view from the water that faces Magic Kingdom is actually really pretty. You can see some photos of it in Disney's article. Keep in mind that having this open means the walkways are now open again. So you can walk from Polynesian to the Island Tower, to Grand Floridian, and all the way to Magic Kingdom Park. A nice perk to have back for guests staying at any of those resorts. I'll be planning a food review of the grill here soon too.

Hall of Presidents Closing: With a change in presidency comes an update to the animatronics in the Hall of Presidents at Magic Kingdom. Disney has announced it will be closing on January 20th and will reopen "later in 2025". No word on how this will work since we already technically have a Trump animatronic- maybe some of you history fans can tell me if that's ever happened before? That we've had a president be re-elected Disney needed to reuse one of the animatronics? But just a heads up in case any of you were planning to rope drop Hall of Presidents on your next Disney visit lol. I must say I went a few months ago for the first time in years (probably since Biden was added if I'm honest) and it's pretty sparse in that huge theater. I know it's a classic but it is a huge space in the park for something that isn't visited very often. I'm always surprised we don't hear about plans to replace it.

Ranking the Top 10 Best Bars at Disney World: In today's podcast, we are ranking all the best Top 10 bars and lounges at Disney World, where they are, why we love them, and most importantly, what to order. This is a good episode you won't want to miss! Listen on Spotify, Apple or any podcast app.

Everything We Know About Disney’s New Cruise Ship: Disney’s newest ship sets sail in December and we put together a great video guide of everything you can expect on the Disney Treasure! This ship has so much to offer. If you have already booked it then this video will get you so excited for your cruise! And if you’re considering it this video will show you exactly what will be on this new Triton class ship joining Disney Cruise Line’s fleet in December 2024. Check out the video here or bookmark it to watch later!

Nov. 8th- Dec.20: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Nov. 9th- Dec. 21st: Jollywood Nights

November 29th-Dec. 30th: Epcot Festival of the Holidays

Jan. 17th - Feb. 24th: Epcot's Festival of the Arts

March 5th-June 2nd: Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

Thanks again for reading this week, and I'll be back next Wednesday with another email and another new podcast episode. Until then!

Serena
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