According to rumors, Disney is getting ready to bring back the Minnie Van service to Walt Disney World. Minnie Vans, we're essentially a Taxi/Uber service available throughout the resort. The service was owned and operated by Disney, with Cast Members driving you to your destination. The popular Minnie Vans debuted back in July 2017, but they were suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 restrictions, and have never returned to service. Many thought the Mini Vans would never return, but Disney has always insisted that the service was simply on hold. Now, sources have indicated that Disney is in the process of hiring Cast Members to bring the service back to Walt Disney World. Please remember this is only a rumor, and it's not happening until Disney confirms it!

Tom’s Watch Bar, a high-end sports bar concept from Smashburger founder Tom Ryan, is the first occupant of the top-floor space at the Hollywood Plaza entertainment complex and garage on International Drive. The new sports bar, which already has locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and Denver, could be open as soon as late 2022. The space includes a rooftop patio area, ample parking and unobstructed visibility from Interstate 4. The soon-to-open Orlando site is going to be unique. Owner Tom Ryan commented “It’s 10 stories above International Drive, so it’s got great views of Disney, great views of Universal at night. We love outdoor seating and bars, so we’re going to light up the top of that structure and make it a beacon for everybody.” The new Tom's Watch Bar will feature Top Golf simulators and several other entertainment features, and its calendar, once open, will feature a variety of watch parties and events. The menu in the new sports bar will include traditional sports bar staples such as burgers and wings but also sushi-grade tuna towers and poke bowls. Ryan said “We do consider ourselves an entertainment-based concept versus just a bar and restaurant that shows sport.” This sounds life a great addition to International Drive, and we cannot wait to try it once it opens!

Island H2O Water Park in Kissimmee is now open for the 2022 season, just in time for Spring Break! The water park is located next to Margaritaville Resort Orlando! Island H20 features more than 20 experiences, including several exhilarating drop slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, a children’s area to ensure fun for the whole. Island H2O combines refreshing family fun with cutting-edge technology to provide guests with a unique, immersive and interactive experience. Take a journey on a lazy river, float in a wave pool, splash in an area for kids, play together in an interactive splash zone, challenge body and tube slides, compete on racing slides, take a spin on giant raft rides, and relax in the adult pool or a private cabana. Riders customize their ride experience by selecting music and lighting for a number of attractions using a state-of-the-art wristband system. Selfie stations, video booths and on-ride photos capture images and video to share on social media. Island H2O is completely interactive, with games and experiences that let you earn points to use toward food and merchandise discounts. The park also offers a choice of comfortable cabanas. Choose from three luxury cabana options, Standard, Cabana Suite, and Adult. Team members provide full service to cabana guests. Enjoy everything from a tasty frozen beverage to an entire meal in your cabana. Cabanas include a mini-fridge with with 4 bottles of water, a safe, charging station, a table, chairs, and chaise loungers. Commenting ahead of this year's opening, Island H20 general manager Kim Kuanu said “Even with the challenges the pandemic presented, last year was our best year yet,” “We know the quality family time and unforgettable experiences are more important that ever, so we look forward to an even better year helping to create special memories for our guests and their families.” Health and safety remain the parks top priority, hand sanitizing stations can be found throughout the park, along with signs encouraging guests and employees to wash their hands frequently, and cover their coughs and sneezes. All of the park’s water goes through a UV light and filtration process, assuring a clean, health-conscious experience. Tickets are priced at $64.99 per adult, $54.99 for seniors ages 62 and up and children ages three and up, and Season Passes are $79.99 per person. Online ticket purchase in advance of a visit is highly encouraged, as are cashless payments while in the park. Visitors can save $5 per ticket by purchasing in advance.

Great news! AREA15, the immersive art and entertainment district in Las Vegas, have announced plans to bring its award-winning concept to Orlando. The new location is expected to open in 2024 and will be located in the heart of the city’s tourist corridor, just off I-4 between I-Drive and Walt Disney World. The Orlando entertainment venue will feature a spectacular 300,000-square-foot building which will be home to a range of attractions, art installations, retail offerings, restaurants, bars, and more, all under one roof. Since opening in Las Vegas, AREA15 has launched 20 attractions and experiences. It welcomed almost 2 million visitors in the first year alone. As well as welcoming guests of all ages to enjoy a range of attractions, art installations, retail offerings, restaurants and bars, and more, all under one roof. AREA15 will also host events, art exhibitions, nightlife and shows. A massive robot called Mechan 11 has planted a flag in the field along I-4, just north of the Vineland Premium Outlets, where the new AREA15 development will be located. “AREA15 was built for today’s social dynamics,” says Winston Fisher, AREA15 CEO. “Sophisticated consumers are gravitating toward artful new forms of entertainment where the lines between commerce and the experience economy blur" He continued "AREA15 Orlando is the ideal city for our second location, providing an ecosystem where innovative design, best-in-class attractions, integrated storytelling, monumental art installations, extraordinary technology and distinctive retail thrive together.” AREA15’s chief creative officer, Michael Beneville, adds: “AREA15 looks forward to cultivating a collaborative spirit with Orlando’s creative community, as well as adding a distinctive new destination within the city’s world-famous tourism corridor. We’re all immensely energized by the possibilities our Orlando development offers.” The prime location for the new AREA15 sits just across the I-4 from the O-Town West development. The nearby Daryl Carter Parkway will also eventually have a full interchange with I-4, allowing for more direct access to the site, which is located nicely between Disney World and Universal Orlando. With AREA15 Orlando not due to open until 2024, don't forget about the massive Mechan 11 robot, standing guard over the site, give him a wave and say hi everytime you pass him on the I-4!

Disney Imagineer Zach Riddley has shared more details and images from inside the load station at the soon to open 'Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind' at EPCOT. In his Instagram post, Riddley said “One of the ways that we help tell the story is by infusing details into all the various functional items that make up an attraction and this one is no different.” Regarding the rides load gates, he said “Angular designs, striking use of colors, and materials all help tell the story of a Nova Corps facility. The railings, station gates and floor markings (yes, the floor is pretty cool too) are all used to convey the experience in ways that might not be as obvious or apparent, but every detail is a choice that supports our story. Seen in these new close-up images of our station gates have a weight and scale to them to help convey the industrial nature of the area. Handrails made from stainless steel give a sturdy and durable feel and show the precision craftsmanship of the Nova Corps.” He also went on to highlight the presence of Nova Corps insignias and imagery inside the attraction, including a prominent illuminated logo of the Nova Corps. In the images you can also see a smaller Star Blaster in the queue area. The more we see of this attraction, the more we're getting excited for it, and we cannot wait to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind when it opens this summer!

The popular ESPN Club on Disney's BoardWalk which has been temporarily closed since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic will not be re-opening, and is now permanently closed. Disney have announced that major upgrades are coming to the BoardWalk area over the next few years, and this includes a brand new table service restaurant and bakery, The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers It's believed that the ESPN Club will be the location for this new restaurant. ESPN Club opened at Walt Disney World in July 1996 and offered classic American pub cuisine, sports entertainment and shopping, along with live tv coverage of sporting events.

Starting March 22, TUI's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner filled with excited tourists from the United Kingdom will fly into Melbourne Orlando International Airport, with officials projecting the worldwide travel giant bringing 135,000 passengers into Melbourne by the end of 2022. With most passengers heading straight to the theme parks and attractions of Orlando, TUI switching from the much closer to Orlando, Sanford Orlando International Airport to Melbourne is a challenge for TUI, as their regular visitors to the sunshine state will be used to arriving much closer to Orlando. Plus, for Space Coast business leaders, the question is how they can lure these passengers to spend any amount of time, and their money in the local area. Tammy McKenzie who is in charge of the TUI Group's “Project Melbourne" commented "I have colleagues that have come over to Melbourne, and they've been out by the beach there. Yes, the beach is absolutely amazing — but it's quite residential," "If our customers come here, how will they know what's offered? Where will they know to go? And that's going to be the really key part for Melbourne now, and for the Space Coast," McKenzie said. "It's making sure that the Brits know about Melbourne," McKenzie went on to say Melbourne offers TUI two key strategic advantages: nearby beaches and uncongested access to I-Drive. After switching from Sanford to Melbourne, McKenzie said TUI will market the Space Coast to European travelers along these lines: “Melbourne treats visitors to the more authentic side of Florida, and a place to retreat and relax from the chaos of I-Drive.” McKenzie said TUI has been working the past few months with Cocoa Beach hoteliers on packaging overnight stays with Brevard activities: think beachgoing, surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, seafood dining and shopping. For example, she said TUI passengers could rent a car and spend consecutive nights along the Space Coast, which could be particularly attractive for Port Canaveral cruisers, and with this in mind, U.K. cruise line Marella Cruises, a division of TUI, will itself launch cruises from Port Canaveral next summer. Destinations will include New York, New Orleans, Charleston, South Carolina, Key West, and the Caribbean. TUI agreed a seven-year contract in 2020 to move its Central Florida gateway operations from Orlando Sanford International Airport to Melbourne. Since then, construction crews have been racing to complete a massive $72 million overhaul of Melbourne's passenger terminal to ensure it can accommodate TUI's aircraft and the large influx of international passengers. All works will be completed in in time to welcome TUI's inaugural flight from the U.K. which will be from Manchester, England on March 22. Rob Himler, Melbourne Orlando International Airport spokesman said TUI will operate 11 weekly flights throughout April from eight U.K. regional airports. Each flight will carry between 300 to 345 passengers. Moving into the busy summer months, flights will increase to 16 weekly flights The Space Coast Office of Tourism has earmarked $200,000 for initial marketing aimed at the influx of TUI passengers. With most TUI passengers spending between 10 to 14 days on their Florida vacations, Melbourne Main Street Executive Director Kim Agee said she hopes they return to Melbourne for the last two days of their trips. “We’re hoping they will stay in our local hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. And that they will come into downtown and shop and play and live and explore, and do all the things that we have to offer," Agee said. TUI Flight Schedule: Here is the details for the TUI flights as they prepare to fly from a large number of U.K. locations into Melbourne. Birmingham Flights from Birmingham (BHX/EGBB) will operate up to 3 times per week. Bristol Twice-weekly flight will operate from Bristol (BRS/EGGD). Doncaster Sheffield A once weekly flight will operate from Doncaster Sheffield (DSA/EGCN). Edinburgh A once weekly flight will also operate from Edinburgh (EDI/EGPH). Glasgow Glasgow (GLA/EGPF) will also have a once weekly flight. London Gatwick London Gatwick (LGW/EGKK) will have twice-weekly flights. Newcastle Twice weekly flights will operate from Newcastle (NCL/EGNT). Manchester Manchester (MAN/EGCC) will see the most flights with up to five weekly flights.

Great news foodies! The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic returns on Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12 2022, and tickets are on sale now! The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic is a street party festival with unlimited tastings of culinary selections from the hotel's award-winning restaurants plus bottomless wine, beer, and beverage samplings from around the world. It all takes place amidst a wonderful backdrop of live entertainment on the hotel's causeway featuring several themed areas such as a beer garden, carnival corner and bubble lounge. Plus, the great news is that for 2022, the event will also feature the return of the interactive food and beverage seminars lead by the hotel's expert team. Food Stroll the causeway where you will be tempted with a diverse selection of delectable delights prepared by our award-winning chefs. Our chefs will be offering unrivaled cuisine to please every palate. Meet our all star line-up of award-winning chefs including Todd English, a celebrity chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. Drink Sample fine wine, beer and spirits from around the world. This is a great opportunity to sample beverages you may not have thought to try before. Our certified sommeliers will be on hand to answer all questions regarding choosing the right wine for your meal or celebration. Learn Expand your knowledge of wine, beer, spirits and sake. Learn how to choose the right beverage and how to pair it perfectly with your meal. Our certified sommeliers will teach you the basics to advanced skills of choosing the perfect bottle for the perfect occasion and the perfect meal. You’ll walk away with the ability to impress at your next dinner outing! Entertainment Of course, the food and drink will be exceptional, but we’re going all out with live entertainment performing in the famous Dolphin clamshell fountain on both evenings. We’ll also have a merchandise tent where you can pick up a souvenir to commemorate the event! More information about the 2022 event will be released soon. For the latest information or to purchase tickets, visit www.FoodandWineClassic.com

Walt Disney World have announced that major and exciting changes are coming to the Disney Boardwalk Resort area over the next few years. Disney describe the changes as new enhancements and offerings to the popular, turn-of-the-century promenade, changes include a charming new lobby design and nearby coffee bar to delectable dining options, refreshed guest rooms and other special touches. Waterside strolls will be extra special with storybook sweet treats and dreamy desserts at The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers, a new table service restaurant and bakery that’s sure to delight. Expected to open in 2023, this restaurant will offer both savory and dessert menus, along with afternoon tea service, in a whimsical atmosphere that complements the magic of the idyllic charm of Disney’s BoardWalk that guests know and love. And with this new sweet spot on the horizon, the BoardWalk Bakery will be changing, becoming a brand new sandwich shop for guests to enjoy a bite along the water’s edge, joining other current food and beverage locations like BoardWalk Ice Cream. Through the doors of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, light and airy touches will reinvigorate the lobby, lounge and guest rooms, carrying the seaside breeze right inside. Just off the lobby, a new coffee bar with artisanal beverages and quick bites will be available to-go or in newly refreshed seating spaces inside or outdoors. All these changes sound very exciting, and we cant wait to see these developments come to life over the next few years! The Disney Resort hotel experience is a special part of what makes each Walt Disney World vacation truly memorable. As one of 31 themed resorts in the Disney Resorts Collection, Disney’s BoardWalk offers something for everyone – from shopping and dining to entertainment and recreation. We are looking forward to sharing new details about these enhancements at the resort as they become available.

Walt Disney World remains as busy as ever, and the operating hours have been extended from March 27 through April 2 at all four Walt Disney World theme parks. Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom will continue to open at 9:00 a.m. It will now close at 11:00 p.m. Extended evening hours on March 29 will start at 11:00 p.m. and go until 1:00 a.m. EPCOT EPCOT will now be opening at 8:30 a.m. instead of 10:00 a.m. Early entry will begin at 8:00 a.m. It will still close at 9:00 p.m. Disney’s Hollywood Studios Disney’s Hollywood Studios will now open at 8:30 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m. Early entry will begin at 8:00 a.m. It will still close at 9:00 p.m. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Disney’s Animal Kingdom will now open at 7:30 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m. Early entry will begin at 7:00 a.m. It will now close at 8:30 p.m. instead of 7:00 p.m.

An important milestone has been reached in the construction of Walt Disney World's latest attraction, and its great news! Walt Disney Imagineering has released a new video offering a look behind-the-scenes at the construction of the brand new TRON Lightcycle Run attraction at Magic Kingdom, the much delayed ride is expected to open by the end of next year. Imagineer Chris Beatty said, "the team will soon start a process known as “push/pull,” where sections of the seven-vehicle train are slowly moved through the entire ride track. Once the track is completely ready, trains will begin launch tests at incremental speeds, with the team eventually working their way up to full-speed launches." The great news is that guests in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom will soon see the attraction's trains make their way out of the launch zone and underneath the attraction's iconic canopy. Check out this video below for a behind-the-scenes look from Executive Ride Engineer, Jerold Kaplan, as the team prepares for this important and exciting milestone.

Disney have announced that over the next few years, new enhancements and offerings will be coming to the BoardWalk at Walt Disney World, one such upgrade is the announcement that a brand new restaurant and bakery will be opening in the popular, turn-of-the-century themed promenade. Storybook sweet treats and dreamy desserts are promised at The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers. Expected to open in 2023, this new table service restaurant and bakery will offer both savory and dessert menus, along with an afternoon tea service The whimsical setting within this exciting new restaurant and bakery is sure to complement the idyllic charm of Disney’s BoardWalk that we all know and love. The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers is a very popular Central Indiana restaurant and bakery with locations in Broad Ripple and Carmel. Cake Bake Shop owner Gwendolyn Rogers made the announcement that she is opening a new location in the most magical place on earth on The Cake Bake Shop's Instagram account. "I am so excited to announce that I will be opening my next Cake Bake Shop at Disney’s BoardWalk in Walt Disney World Resort. Expected to open in 2024!" The Carmel location which the new BoardWalk restaurant is believed to be based on, is a magical and whimsical space which is sure to become a must visit spot in Walt Disney World. When you arrive you walk through French doors, sparkling chandeliers over head, antiqued mirrors, French inspired furniture, beautiful seasonal decorations, gorgeous cakes on French porcelain platters topped with glass domes. Gwendolyn's shops offer the most incredible experience from ‘The Best Quiche You Will Ever Have’ to homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, even a true French Croque Monsieur. Behind the kitchen window you can see the master bakers gently sieving non-bromated flours from Vermont, there are large pots of French & Belgian Chocolate melting on the stove, cakes baking in the ovens and decorators frosting the most exquisite cakes. We cannot wait for this new restaurant to open in Walt Disney World, and we're sure it's going to quickly become a must visit location, not only for the visitors to the resort, but for us too!