Disney PhotoPass is offering some amazing Magic Shots during this year's EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. Check out here, the Magic Shots you can capture with Disney PhotoPass Service at EPCOT during the festival. Just ask every PhotoPass photographer you visit throughout the park what Magic Shot they offer at their individual location. You can’t talk about Bruno, flowers and magic and not mention Isabela. For this Magic Shot, strike a picture-perfect pose. Wait, hang on? Perfect, practiced poses? None of that here. Let loose. The people walking past you might wonder what you’re doing but just go with it. This Magic Shot is available by the water near Journey Into Imagination With Figment. At Walt Disney World Resort, anything is possible. Keep your eyes peeled for this sweet Orange Bird Magic Shot, available near the main entrance of the park and at photo spots next to Spaceship Earth. Buzz buzz! I know just what you want in your photo: an insect! Thankfully, Spike the Bee is minding his own beeswax. It’s like you’ll hardly even notice he’s there while the photographer takes your photo. Spike can fly into your photo anywhere in World Showcase. Naturally, I’m sure you’re thinking, Emily, I’m intrigued by insects as a Magic Shot genre, tell me more. Absolutely. How about a photo with a bunch of insects? According to my very limited and highly unofficial research, a group of butterflies is called a kaleidoscope. Enjoying the only time in my life I’ll probably type this sentence: Get a photo with a kaleidoscope near the entrance to World Showcase, close to Port of Entry. Lastly, you can sWING by any Disney PhotoPass location at EPCOT to capture this pixie-dusted Magic Shot. You can be sweet or sassy just like Tinker Bell. Enjoy letting your imagination grow wild at the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival!

​Walt Disney World guests at select resorts can now celebrate a special occasion with a Mickey Mouse Celebration Cake as an add-on option when they make dining reservations on the My Disney Experience app. You must make the request at least four days in advance of the meal at the following locations: Disney's Beach Club Resort: Beaches & Cream Soda Shop, Cape May Café Disney's Yacht Club Resort: Ale & Compass Restaurant, Yachtsman Steakhouse Disney's Boardwalk: Trattoria al Forno, Flying Fish Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge: Boma - Flavors of Africa, Jiko – The Cooking Place, Sanaa The Mickey Mouse Celebration Cake is available in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate, and you have the option of ordering a plain cake, or one decorated with celebratory phrases such as "Happy Anniversary" and "Congratulations." Cakes cost $39 and can serve four to six Guests.

​Great news from MegaCon as even more cast members from “Cobra Kai” are coming to MegaCon Orlando. Ralph Macchio, Tanner Buchanan and Mary Mouser have been added to the celebrity guest lineup, organizers announced Tuesday. They joined previously announced “Cobra Kai” actors William Zabka and Martin Kove. Other celebrities set to appear at the fan convention this year include Brendan Fraser, Giancarlo Esposito, Katee Sackhoff, Matthew Lewis, Levar Burton and Kevin Smith. MegaCon is set to run May 19-22 at the Orange County Convention Center. For ticket and event information, visit the MegaCon website.

Great news from LEGOLAND Florida as the park has confirmed on social media that hugs and high fives are back at the popular Central Florida theme park. As well as the good news that traditional meet and greets are back at LEGOLAND Florida, the park is getting ready to open a brand new attraction, Pirate River Quest. You will set sail with a rowdy crew of LEGO pirates on Captain’s orders to explore the murky waters and retrieve the lost treasure, stolen by a troop of mischievous monkeys. Journey through the uncharted waters of the legendary Cypress Gardens and discover the secrets protecting its canals, as this all-new story unfolds brick by brick into a family-friendly treasure hunt. Adventure awaits you at LEGOLAND Florida on the Pirate River Quest, coming soon.

Great news as the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command have announced that the 2022 DoD Warrior Games are planned to take place in Central Florida, with valiant competitors showing the world their grit and determination at Walt Disney World Resort from August 19 through 28. Hundreds of elite athletes from across the United States Armed Forces and allied nations will be fiercely competing at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in events such as wheelchair basketball, cycling, indoor rowing and many more. We can’t wait to cheer for them and celebrate with their families. These games also afford the opportunity for families, friends and supporters to witness these incredible veterans shine as they display their true warrior spirit through competitive sports. Additionally, Walt Disney World will host the 2022 Veterans Institute Summit presented by Disney Institute Aug. 19-20 also at ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. The summit is designed to empower companies to build effective veteran hiring, training and support of their own. The two-day forum will include speakers from Disney’s Heroes Work Here initiative, U.S. government officials, veterans and military spouses, among many others.

SeaWorld Orlando's 400-foot Sky Tower has a brand new look and we're loving it! SeaWorld has shared an image on social media of the brand new look for the Sky Tower, which has stood as an icon for the park since it opened in summer 1974, and offers a seabird’s eye view of Orlando during this leisurely capsule ride over the park. The observation tower had been closed since March 2020 when the parks were forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic, but thankfully the iconic attraction has now reopened. SeaWorld Orlando platinum, gold, and silver pass members can ride for free. with Bronze members, fun card holders, and regular guests paying $5 to ride.

Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom is now opening one hour earlier, plus the popular Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant is now offering brunch for the first time. Be Our Guest previously offered breakfast, but this has not been available since the parks closed due to COVID-19 in March 2020. When the restaurant reopened, it only offered lunch and dinner. The new brunch menu will be offering a new crab meat omelet, salad, and more.

Disney have announced that the menu at Walt Disney World Resort – Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is being revamped. Beginning today, these talented culinarians are serving up some exciting updates to their already tasty menu that are sure to intrigue you and your stomach. Chef Sahib Bhatti, has incorporated his roots from Tanzania on the Eastern Coast of Africa into these new and updated dishes filled with spices and ingredients found in the Indian subcontinent. And before you start to worry, the signature Indian-style Bread Service is still there in its tasty glory for you to indulge in! The start date of these offerings is noteworthy, as back in 2009, the opening team began training for their culinary adventure with Sanaa! Chef Sahib and his talented team are proud to uphold this culinary legacy by sharing their updated menu with enthusiastic fans as well as those who will experience Sanaa for the first time. Without further ado, it’s time to find out what’s cooking in the kitchen over at Sanaa! Let’s kick things off with an appetizer available for both lunch and dinner. First, we have the Lamb Kefta, a returning fan-favorite but now with a refreshing twist. Chef Sahib and his team have infused traditional North-African flavors with spices like cumin and cayenne pepper to this char-grilled ground lamb with Tunisian couscous salad and ginger pear chutney. For an entrée, the Potjie-inspired Slow Cooked Dishes are made in a potjie, a traditional cast-iron pot that dates back to the Dutch during the spice trade. The popular Butter Chicken is here to stay, with Chef introducing authentic pork selection and multiple plant-based additions to this “Harvest.” The Pork Vindaloo has origins from Goa and features inspiration from Portuguese cuisine. This tender pork is cooked with paprika, garlic, tomato, vinegar, and a house-made spice blend – how delicious! The Lentil Daal is typically found in the Indian subcontinent and is made with yellow lentils and cooked in fragrant spices. At Sanaa, Sukuma Wiki, which was featured by Chef Sahib for Cooking With Soul, is delightfully enjoyed with rajma masala. The chef wanted to ensure this plant-based offering had a permanent place on the menu for guests to enjoy. The Rajma Masala is a dish from the Indian subcontinent that features red kidney beans and a delicious spice blend combined with onions, tomatoes, and garam masala and braised until tender. It is also known as maharage in Eastern Africa, which translates to red beans, and is typically served with greens. Keeping on with the main course, our next two dishes are available to enjoy for both lunch and dinner. The Zanzibari Vegetable Curry is inspired by the island of Zanzibar, also known as “Spice Island.” This plant-based dish features seasonal vegetables, fragrant rice, and a mouthwatering blend of cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper. For those who are a fan of fish, the Samaki Wa Kupaka, which means “coated fish,” is quite a unique fish. Kingklip is commonly found along the Southern African coast. This moist, white fish joins the menu as a part of sustainable seafood initiatives and is absolutely delicious with a marinade of traditional Swahili cuisine, mango and turmeric, and topped with a tangy tamarind-infused coconut gravy. Finally, I’m happy to share with you some offerings that are only available as the sun sets on the savanna. You simply must try these dinner-exclusive offerings on your next visit. The fall-off-the-bone Pork Shank goes through a long braise process with flavors of cloves, nutmeg, and allspice before making it to your plate and is paired with one of the Chef’s comfort foods – black-eye peas simmered in a chermoula herb blend. The Grilled New York Strip has been on the menu before, but never like this! As you take a bite of these decadent flavors, you’ll be transported to Eastern Africa with this version of “meat and potatoes.” The strip is perfectly paired with mukimo made with green peas, corn, and spinach, as well as harvest vegetables, herb emulsion, and fig sauce.

Great news from Disney's Animal Kingdom as Mickey and Minnie will be returning to their Adventurers Outpost meet and greet location soon! This news from Disney is all the more exciting as The Adventurers Outpost is one of the few locations guests can meet Mickey and Minnie together at the same time. No return date was not announced but it seems likely they will return on or after April 18, when distancing is being removed from all Walt Disney World meet and greets.

Entertainment is roaring back to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney have shared a few updates with everyone! First up, let’s look to the sky as some of our favorite Disney characters take flight in “Disney KiteTails.” Since its debut as part of the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration, this show has been delighting guests with a vibrant celebration of music, color and kites – some as large as 30 feet long – depicting Simba, Baloo and more! Just in time for summer fun, Disney are shifting the focus of the show so guests will be able to experience “Disney KiteTails” from anywhere around the Discovery River Lagoon, with shorter and more frequent performances throughout the day. Between “Disney KiteTails” performances, Discovery River will come alive with Character Flotillas! Setting sail in succession, these high-energy boats will fill the waters throughout the park with music, EARidescent 50th anniversary moments and characters including Mickey and friends, Timon, Rafiki and Pocahontas several times each day. You won’t want to miss it! Speaking of guest favorites, you may have seen a teaser recently about a certain group of high-flying primates making their return to “Festival of the Lion King.” It’s true! Not only will the delightful Tumble Monkeys be back to their acrobatic hijinks this summer, but the show’s iconic birds will once again soar above the stage. That’s sure to have our guests feeling the love! That’s not the only excitement on the horizon. Guests visiting the park will soon be able to share a high-five with Mickey & Minnie at Adventurers Outpost and take in the newly updated “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond” – both opening in the coming months as we continue to add even more magic to The World’s Most Magical Celebration!

Gather your friends, family and dogs for a day of fun, as DogFest Orlando 2022 is coming to Winter Park on Saturday, April 23! The event, organized by Canine Companions, will feature local vendors and pet-friendly activities for dogs and their owners. DogFest will be held in Central Park in Winter Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is free. Fundraising is encouraged. There are sponsorship, volunteer and vendor opportunities too, plus when registering, be sure to indicate you are bringing a dog to get your free DogFest dog bandana. Then fundraise to qualify for some fun DogFest swag! DogFest supports the mission of Canine Companions to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs free of charge. These service dogs make a profound impact through the jobs they do like opening doors, picking up dropped items, alerting to sounds and much more. The organization has placed over 6,600 service dogs, yet there are more than 400 people with disabilities are still waiting for a match, according to Canine Companions’ website. It costs approximately $50,000 to raise and train every service dog at Canine Companions, but the cost to the family that will receive the dog is completely free. Because of that, Canine Companions has multiple options on how to donate, which include monetary and vehicle donations. Play your part in helping, and don’t miss out on DogFest. Join the fun!

Walt Disney World Resort’s available solar energy resources will more than double with two new solar arrays in 2023. The two new 75 MW (megawatt) arrays will be located in Gilchrist County and Polk County on over 1,000 total acres, enabling Disney to generate solar power without depending on sunny skies in solely one area. With this expansion, Disney will become one of the largest commercial consumers of solar in the state as the company moves towards delivering its 2030 goal of achieving net-zero emissions. When operational, Walt Disney World will be powered by 40% solar energy. Both arrays are expected to be online by early 2023. Combined they will introduce nearly a half million solar panels capable of producing over 375,000 MWh (megawatt hours) of carbon-free solar energy in their first full year of operation. This is the equivalent of removing 29,500 automobiles from the roads every year.