Flavors of Florida returns to Disney Springs with new food and drinks, culinary series
This yearโs annual Disney Springs Flavors of Florida runs July 1 through August 13, and once again brings to life the tastes, techniques, ingredients and culture of the Sunshine State through deliciously curated menu items at many of the most popular restaurants at Disney Springs.
Disney, Cirque du Soleil open new show โDrawn to Lifeโ to standing ovation
The highly anticipated new collaboration from Cirque du Soleil and Disney, Drawn to Life, premiered Thursday night at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort to a full house of enthusiastic fans who demonstrated their appreciation with a lengthy standing ovation.
Disneyโs Contemporary Resort provides complete vacation with futuristic feel
Walt Disney World opened as the โThe Vacation Kingdom of the Worldโ on Oct. 1, 1971, and Walt Disneyโs vision to have a world full of resorts, sports, recreation and entertainment is what weโve inherited today โ Disneyโs Contemporary Resort.
M&Mโs store opens at Disney Springs
M&Mโs store at Disney Springs (WKMG-TV)The new state-of-the-art location opened next to Splitsville Luxury Lanes and the NBA Experience. โAs the premiere shopping, dining and entertainment destination, bringing exceptional experiences to our line-up at Disney Springs is central as we continue to evolve,โ said Matt Simon, Vice President, Disney Springs. โOffering the world-famous chocolate combined with the imaginative fun found in the stores, M&MโS at Disney Springs is a perfect addition to our unparalleled mix of offerings.โAdRed and Yellow M&M standing outside M&Mโs store at Disney Springs (WKMG-TV)The store is offering exclusive Mickey and Minnie Mouse M&Mโs designs and packaging as well as photo-ops with the lovable M&Mโs characters outside. AdFull Screen Full Screen 1 / 10 M&M Store at Disney SpringsThe Disney Springs location was originally scheduled to open last year, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the opening. M&Mโs store at Disney Springs (WKMG-TV)The new M&M store is the latest business to have opened at the entertainment and shopping destination in January.
Crews make progress on M&Mโs store coming to Disney Springs
M&M's store at Disney Springs still under constructionORLANDO, Fla โ More than a year after it was announced, construction crews are making significant progress on the new M&Mโs store coming to Disney Springs. Disney Springs said the store will have a signature chocolate wall, photo-ops with the lovable M&Mโs characters and exclusive Mickey and Minnie Mouse M&Mโs designs and packaging. Rendering of new M&MโS Orlando store coming to Disney Springs (Disney Parks Blog)The Mars Retail Group currently has six M&Mโs locations around the globe including spots in London, Las Vegas and Shanghai. The Disney Springs location was originally scheduled to open last year, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the opening. Walt Disney World has not announced an opening date for the Disney Springs location.
Gideonโs Bakehouse Disney Springs location to hold grand opening
Gideonโs Bakehouse will hold its grand opening for its Disney Springs location Saturday. Commemorative Limited Edition 11x14 Art Print of our Gargoyle, and Gargoyle T-Shirt (Gideon's Bakehouse)When Gideonโs had its soft opening, the business saw long lines of people wanting to get in. Gideonโs first location opened in 2016 at Central Floridaโs original food hall, the East End Market, along Corrine Drive in Orlando. According to the Disney Springs website, the entertainment complex opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Steve Lewis, the owner of Gideonโs Bakehouse, spoke with Florida Foodie last year about the expansion into Disney Springs.
Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew opens at Disney Springs
ORLANDO, Fla โ Disney Springs now has a new place to chow down on some sweet treats. The new business took over the former Pop Gallery, in between Splitsville Luxury Lanes and the AMC DINE-IN Disney Springs 24 theater. Everglazed Donuts at Disney Springs (Copyright 2020 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.) Peanut Butter Explosion donut from Everglazed Donuts and Cold Brew at Disney Springs (Copyright 2020 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.) The new shop is open daily at Disney Springs from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Here are the new attractions coming to Central Florida theme parks this year
Disney officials said the show is a first-ever collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. Star Wars: Galactic StarcruiserStill under construction near the once former entrance to Disneyโs Hollywood Studios is Walt Disney Worldโs most immersive Star Wars hotel experience. โStar Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a completely new type of experience,โ said Ann Morrow Johnson, executive producer for Walt Disney Imagineering. โYouโre going to live onboard a star cruiserโฆand you can get wrapped up in the larger Star Wars storyโ she described on Disneyโs blog. Other exciting additions coming to Walt Disney World this year include:Universal Orlando ResortJurassic World: VelocicoasterUniversal Orlando Resort is set to unleash and all new predator, the Jurassic World: Velocicoaster.
Gideonโs Bakehouse prepares for soft opening at Disney Springs
ORLANDO, Fla โ The popular cookie bakery Gideonโs Bakehouse is giving its fans and Disney guests an early Christmas gift. The bakehouse said on Tuesday that it will enter a soft opening phase Wednesday at its newest location at Disney Springs. Gideonโs Bakehouse enters soft opening mode on Dec. 23 at 10 a.m. (Gideon's Bakehouse)Gideonโs first location opened in 2016 at Central Floridaโs original food hall, the East End Market, along Corrine Drive in Orlando. During the past week, officials have teased foodies of some of the delicious new cookies that will be on the menu at Disney Springs. The soft opening will begin at Disney Springs Wednesday at 10 a.m.Gideonโs said it will have an official grand opening of the new location next year, and is promising to wow fans with new beautifully branded Gideonโs boxes and cups.
Brightline, Walt Disney World agree to build train station at Disney Springs
Brightline and Walt Disney World Resort announced an agreement Monday to build a train station at Disney Springs. The station would allow โconvenient travelโ between Walt Disney World and several Brightline planned stations at Orlando International Airport, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, a news release said. Brightline officials said that the expansion from West Palm Beach to OIA is on track and should be completed in 2022. โOur mission has always been to connect our guests to the people and places that matter, and Walt Disney World Resort is a tremendous example of this.โTravelers can expect the proposed Disney Springs station to have a ground level lobby, passenger facilities and an upper level train platform. โWeโre excited to work with Brightline as they pursue the potential development of a train station at Walt Disney World Resort, a project that would support our local economy and offer a bold, forward-looking transportation solution for our community and guests,โ said Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort.
Man who brought BB gun to Disney pretended to be DEA agent, deputies say
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. โ An 18-year-old man who brought a BB gun to Disney Springs presented a fake badge and claimed to be a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, according to the Orange County Sheriffโs Office. Deputies said Nathaniel Godfrey Smith showed up at Disney property Friday evening and was stopped when he set off the metal detectors in the security area. Records show the deputy looked on Amazon and found a counterfeit badge identical to the one Smith had and at that point, Smith admitted that heโs not actually a DEA agent. According to the affidavit, a Glock 19 replica BB gun was found in an inner waistband holster after Smith was taken into custody. Smith is facing charges of falsely impersonating an officer, unlawful display of a badge and carrying a concealed weapon.
Disney shows off new concept art for Everglazed Donuts
ORLANDO, Fla โ Walt Disney World shared new concept art Tuesday for its new and upcoming Everglazed Donuts and cold brew shop. The Everglazed Donut shop is currently under construction at the old Pop Gallery, in between Splitsville Luxury Lanes and the AMC DINE-IN Disney Springs 24 theater. Weโre sharing a first look at a few of the delicious donuts you'll find from Everglazed Donuts opening soon at #DisneySprings. Disney said the business will specialize in hand-crafted donuts, cold brew lattes and coffee cocktails and sweet sandwich bites. pic.twitter.com/AGTp90nuAD โ Everglazed Donuts (@everglazed) October 27, 2020An opening date has not been announced yet, but the signage on the outside of the building says โglazing soon.โ
Two Disney Springs restaurants offering Florida residents special deals
ORLANDO, Fla โ Paddlefish and Terralina Crafted Italian restaurants at Disney Springs are offering special discounts on food for Florida residents and first responders through the month of October. In correlation with Visit Orlandoโs โMagical Diningโ month, the restaurants are offering Florida residents a 20% discount off their total bill on weekdays, excluding alcohol. First responders will also receive a special 35% discount off their total check during the month. Both restaurants are also offering a number of special promotions. Terralina Crafted ItalianNational sausage day, Oct. 11: 50% off the rigatoni calabrese or sausage pizza items.
Reedy Creek administrators: First responders did not contract COVID-19 on the job
A Reedy Creek representative said the timeline for Grants illness doesnt fall into the accepted CDC guideline of two to 17 days because he started showing symptoms 24 hours after contact with the paramedics. The Reedy Creek communications manager told News 6, We did pull all the EMS reports from June 23 (a week prior to the first person showing symptoms). Reedy Creek paramedics Steven Provost and Brian Astleford were on the June 29 call to Disney Springs and tested positive for the coronavirus four days later. Were on the front lines dealing with COVID everyday, Grant told News 6. They are a lot of employers in Florida simply saying you cant prove you contracted this disease on the job.
Florida Foodie: Small Central Florida bakery expands into Disney Springs
Orlando An antique book became the inspiration for a growing bakery business. The Gothic-themed bakery currently sits in less than 300 square feet at Orlandos East End Market. Gideons is getting ready for a major growth spurt that will see it make the jump into Disney Springs, which will make it more accessible to the international audience that shops and dines there. The bakerys owner, Steve Lewis, joins Florida Foodie to talk about this growth for his business. Lewis also talks about some of the changes and new experiences Gideons fans can expect when they stop by his new flagship store at Disney Springs later this year.
Disney World to reopen as coronavirus cases surge in Florida
In May, the company opened Disney Springs. Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are reopening Saturday, while Epcot and Disneys Hollywood Studios will follow four days later. The reopening comes as a huge surge of Floridians have tested positive for the new coronavirus in recent weeks. All of Disney's Orlando parks closed in mid-March in an effort to stop the viruss spread. In May, the company opened Disney Springs, a complex of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues in Lake Buena Vista.
Walt Disney World opens two theme parks amid pandemic
ORLANDO, Fla. The day has finally arrived for Disney fans to once again step foot inside The Most Magical Place on Earth.On Saturday, Walt Disney World opened up two of its four theme parks, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Michelle Quenzel helps run the blog Streaming The Magic, which has spent the past few days inside the reopened parks. At other parks, youre allowed to walk around with a drink in your hand and mask off. Since the park is at a lower capacity, wait times for some popular rides were drastically reduced, according to the Walt Disney World app. MORE: Heres how you can meet your favorite characters during Walt Disney Worlds phased reopeningDisney has been opening its parks back up around the globe for the past two months.
Splitsville to reopen at Disney Springs July 10 after months-long closure due to COVID-19
ORLANDO, Fla. Whether you bumper-bowl or regularly play a 300 point game, youll be able to brush up on your bowling skills at Splitsville luxury bowling lanes at Disney Springs starting July 10 at 4 p.m. Bowling lane leaders said on Facebook the alley has taken great measures to engage and serve you safely. From social distancing to QR code & single-use menus to sanitized gaming, weve got your back.Splitsville closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 16. Disney Springs began its phased reopening on May 20 after closing for more than a month to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment files for bankruptcy protection, pauses performances during COVID-19 pandemic
ORLANDO, Fla. Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is filing for bankruptcy protection as they pause future performances, saying the coronavirus pandemic has caused unthinkable financial strain on the company. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and the worldwide entertainment industry in an unprecedented way, the company wrote in their announcement. The company says tickets for suspended and rescheduled performances are still valid and are advising ticket holders to keep their passes as they will receive more information soon. As fans wait for shows to resume, the company invites everyone to watch its Cirque Connect specials Friday at 3 p.m. on their website to watch previous performances. To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6s coronavirus newsletter or go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.
Decline in new US virus deaths may be temporary reprieve
Experts note that a rise in deaths could take awhile to show up in the U.S. statistics. Next, doctors will report more flu-like illnesses, and the proportion of people testing positive for the virus will rise. The decline in deaths this spring might well be tied in part to warmer weather as people spend more time outdoors where circulating air disperses the virus. Mokdad noted that deaths are on the rise in the Southern Hemisphere, where it's now winter. This virus is going to have a second wave.
Gideons Bakehouse bringing award-winning cookies to new Disney Springs location
On Wednesday, officials with Walt Disney World said Gideons Bakehouse will be opening a location at Disney Springs later this year. Gideons first location opened in 2016 at Central Floridas original food hall, the East End Market, along Corrine Drive in Orlando. Award-winning Orlando business Gideon's Bakehouse will open its long-anticipated second location later this year at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Gideons Bakehouse)Gideons Bakehouse gained international recognition for its nearly half-pound, small-batch handmade cookies and cakes. Were passionate, inspired, and ready, said Steve Lewis, owner and creator of Gideons Bakehouse. The new store will be located in The Landing across from Jock Lindseys Hangar Bar at Disney Springs.
City Works Eatery & Pour House at Disney Springs reopening
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. City Works Eatery & Pour House at Disney Springs announced Friday that it will reopen June 10 amid the coronavirus pandemic. City Works, located next to the NBA Experience, said it will implement a number of safety measures upon reopening. To celebrate its reopening, City Works said it will offer new items as part of its limited menu, including:Queso kip that offers hot chorizo and pepper jack cheese. Smoked cheddar mac, with bacon lardons and smoked cheddar cheese. In addition to the new items, City Works is building a new canopy over its outdoor dining area.
Disney Springs, CityWalk adjust hours to comply with Orange County curfew
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. Disney Springs and Universal Orlandos CityWalk have announced they will be closing their attractions early during the duration of Orange Countys curfew. Disney Springs adjusted its hours Sunday, saying the dining complex will close at 7 p.m. every day until the curfew is lifted. Guests were welcomed back to Disney Springs May 20 under certain capacity and social distancing restrictions. According to its website, Disney Springs will comply with the countys curfew and continue its enhanced health and safety measures. As of Monday, stores at Disney Springs and CityWalk have not been affected as a result of the protests.
Florida Department of Health reports over 900 new cases of COVID-19
ORLANDO, Fla. As major theme parks, including Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World, formulate their plans and procedures to reopen, cases of COVID-19 are still being reported in the state. The Florida Department of Health announced new positive coronavirus cases across the state Saturday as spectators crowd the coast to watch SpaceXs historic launch. The Florida Department of Health reported 927 new people have tested positive for the respiratory illness. With that green light, SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica and Discovery Cove will open June 11; Disneys Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom will open July 11, followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15. [READ MORE: Disney, SeaWorld get approval to reopen this summer]News 6 has put together a list of all the major Central Florida attractions that are up and running right now and welcoming guests.
Disney union hosts drive-thru food pantry for hundreds
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. Union workers employed by Disney World and nearby hotels hosted a drive-through food pantry in Orange County, feeding 500 fellow furloughed employees. After reopening Disney Springs, leaders recently announced plans for Disneys Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom to reopen on July 11, with Epcot and Hollywood Studios reopening on July 15. Were all here together.MORE: Walt Disney World waits in line for governors approval to reopenJeremy Haicken is the President of UNITE HERE Local 737, which represents employees with food, beverage and housekeeping at Disney World, as well as workers at nearby hotels. Haicken told News 6 the union recently conducted a survey among its members, asking if employees had received unemployment benefits. Nearly a third of 3,500 respondents told the union responded that they have not received unemployment benefits from the state.