DESTINATIONS THE US |ORLANDO
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride; Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life; Toad Burger; The Galaxarium, part of the Guardians of the Galaxy ride PICTURES: Kent Phillips; Matt Beard; Disney
SALT MEETS SWEET From Mickey Rice Crispie Treats to Dole Whip, one of the highlights of any trip to Walt Disney World is the food. To celebrate the 50th anniversary, the resort has brought back some classic Disney dishes. Meg Franz, the food and beverage manager for Magic Kingdom, takes me through some of the 150 new treats developed for the 50th celebrations, including the Squid’s Revenge cocktail, Happy Haunts milkshake and the Toad Burger. My favourite is the Monte Cristo, a turkey, bacon and cheese sandwich dipped in batter, fried, doused in icing sugar and served with strawberry jam, from The Plaza restaurant on Main Street. “It was on the menu at Town
Square restaurant when the park opened in 1971, so we just had to bring it back for the 50th,” says Franz. “Top tip, if you can’t get a reservation for The Plaza, pop over to Casey’s Corner and grab a 50th Celebration Hot Dog, which has funnel cake batter bits and strawberry jam drizzle.”
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OPENING THE VAULT I got my first glimpse of the mouse himself at the launch when I was granted an audience with Mickey and Minnie in their smart new threads. Mr Mouse looked dashing in his dapper gold shoes and EARidescent three-piece suit in purple, indigo and turquoise embroidered with Cinderella’s Castle. Minnie dazzled in a matching dress. Naturally, dressing up in Mickey-
branded gear is par for the course when visiting Walt Disney World (I still have a pair of personalised Mickey Mouse ears from the 90s). If you haven’t packed your ears then there are many opportunities to buy them, including several new designs embroidered with ‘Walt Disney World 50’. I was taken with the Vault Collection, which has brought back some excellent retro designs from the past 50 years – in particular, the Pennant denim vest and Pennant cardigan, which have an American varsity vibe. There’s also a Disney X Coach collaboration with Disney- branded handbags and purses that are sure to be collectors’ items.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL AT DISNEY SPRINGS
As part of the 50th celebrations, Cirque du Soleil has collaborated with Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios to bring its new show, Drawn to Life, to Disney Springs. The 90-minute spectacular pays homage to Disney’s most-famous animations, including Baloo from The Jungle Book and Genie from Aladdin. It tells the story of a young girl named Julie, who, grieving the loss of her animator father, discovers a magical adventure with incredible acrobatic stunts, including a crew of unicycling fairies from Pinocchio. It’s an ideal family night out after a day at the parks. Ticket prices start from $80 for adults and $60 for children.
IT’S SHOWTIME Of course, you can’t come to Disney World and not see the epic fireworks displays. New for the 50th is Harmonious at Epcot’s World Showcase Lagoon. One of Disney’s largest ever night-time spectaculars, the 20-minute show weaves together the music of Disney classics such as Aladdin, The Lion King and The Princess and the Frog, plus newer film scores from Coco and Moana, all with magnificent fireworks, moving fountains and a laser show. Even Magic Kingdom’s
Festival of Fantasy parade has had an upgrade. And as Mickey and his larger-than-life crew dance down Main Street, the consensus is, age really is just a number in the Most Magical Place on Earth.
TW BOOK IT
Walt Disney Travel Company offers seven nights at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort in Florida from £1,255, including flights with Virgin Atlantic departing on January 16, 2023.
disneyholidays.co.uk
travelweekly.co.uk
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