food IS a theme park
Is there any better way to relax than snuggling up with your favorite Disney plush, turning on Disney+, and eating a Mickey premium bar at home? We don’t know, but that sounds like a pretty great night to us!
Pooh and Friends Plush
Recently, we’ve found some ADORABLE plushes new to shopDisney! If you’re a fan of Winnie the Pooh or classic Disney characters, you’ll definitely want to check these out!
Silly old bear! While we saw Rabbit, Piglet, and Eeyore were out bright and early yesterday morning at Magic Kingdom, Winnie the Pooh was nowhere to be found!
Pooh and Friends Minus One Pooh Bear
He must have gotten his paw stuck in a honey pot or something — but he did eventually show up later in the day! And check out where else we spotted Winnie Pooh and his pals recently — in corduroy PLUSH form!
“But I don’t want to get out of bed…I want to stay in my pajamas all day!” Who are we to disagree?!
©Disney
Lucky for us, shopDisney just dropped some sweet new pajama sets and lounge pants that make us feel a little more magical when sleeping OR working from home!
Today’s been a big ole bottomless honey pot of good news for Winnie the Pooh lovers!
©Loungefly
Not only did we spot this new Winnie the Pooh Loungefly Backpack on BoxLunch’s website this morning, but now another brand has just shared a preview of a new Winnie the Pooh line they’ll be launching next week!
Some of the Disney merchandise you can find online are items we all know and love: there’s no shortage of spirit jerseys, Minnie ears, and all the Baby Yoda swag.
© Bitty Boomers
And while there are some truly UNIQUE items out there like those designer ears and the Main Attraction series, they’re still not really that strange.
But if you look deep, deep, DEEP on the internet, you can find some pretty spectacular (and perhaps some bizarre) Disney merchandise! Here’s a roundup of some of the more eyebrow-raising treasures you can shop for!
Greetings from the Hundred Acre Woods, friends!
Winnie the Pooh Topiaries
And no, we don’t mean the United Kingdom pavilion in Epcot — though how cute are the Winnie the Pooh and Rabbit Flower and Garden topiaries!? (Psst – you can go on a Virtual Tour of the Flower and Garden Festival with us here!)
What we DO mean is the Crystal Palace! If you’re unfamiliar, the Crystal Palace is a character dining restaurant in Magic Kingdom where you can dine with Winnie the Pooh and his friends during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a classic character dining experience, and one that Winnie the Pooh fans will love! But is the high price of the meal ($55/ adult at lunch or dinner) worth it? Read on to find out — plus what you can expect on the buffet!
[Read more…]
Hey, guys, what’s new with you? Oh, us, we’re just taking a walk over to the Disneyland Resort to check out what’s been going on in their neck of the woods.
Sleeping Beauty Castle
We’ve got some exciting stuff to share with you today, so let’s just dive on in!
In the pantheon of character meals at Walt Disney World, there’s only one where you can dine with big, fluffy friends straight out of the Hundred Acre Wood — and in a classic Magic Kingdom location: Crystal Palace!
Truth be told, we’ve had a bit of a roller coaster relationship with Crystal Palace over the years. Some visits have been good (like this lunch four years ago and like breakfast here back when you could get into the nearly-empty park!), and one was particularly awful (dinner at the end of the night = icky buffet remnants…I didn’t even do a post about it).
But the opportunity to dine with Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger is pretty much a Disney World rite of passage and something that every Disney fan should do at least once. And dining in the Crystal Palace — a gorgeous building that’s been a mainstay since Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 — is a lovely experience.
But what about the food — arguably the most important aspect of any restaurant? It’s standard, but acceptable on most visits, with breakfast having, perhaps, the most interesting options with Pooh’s Breakfast Lasagna and Puffed French Toast being crowd favorites. And so I returned recently, for lunch this time, to see how things are going.
Welcome to Crystal Palace!
We were back in Hollywood Studios over the weekend keeping up with all of the changes in this changing park.
Hollywood Studios
And yes, this is what a day in Central Florida can look like – on one side of the arch it is a beautiful blue sky, the other side a threatening, grey sky! How many times have you been caught without a rain coat or umbrella on this kind of day? [Read more…]
Welp, boys and girls — it’s time to head into Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and take in lunch at Crystal Palace! This is a beloved character spot for many Disney fans, and a must-do character experience for lots of you.
Me? I hadn’t been to Crystal Palace in foreva…not since an ill-fated late-night visit a couple of years ago when the food was AW-FUL! Yep, it was the end-of-the-night dregs of the buffet and we were pretty much just grossed out. (Have you ever seen a buffet about 15 minutes before a restaurant is about to close? Not pretty.) We ate very little and left as soon as we could. Sad, since we do love dining with Pooh and friends.
But it was time to revisit the 100 Hundred Acre Wood — after all, we’d had lots of great meals here previously — and I made reservations with some friends for lunch.
We have tons of shots to show you, so let’s get started!
You’ll find Crystal Palace to the left of Main Street USA’s end, just as you approach Cinderella Castle. The beautiful glass building, inspired by ornate conservatories of the late Victorian Age, is a slice of Disney history as well. The restaurant has been around since opening day in 1971.
Entrance to Restaurant
And here’s a tip if you’re looking for an extra-special experience during your Disney vacation: try and book Crystal Palace for an early breakfast. You’ll be one of the first guests into the Park when you do this, and visiting a nearly empty Magic Kingdom is an event to remember.
Once you step inside, you’ll see whitewashed walls that carry the bright, light decor throughout. Artwork depicting inspiration for the architecture as well as photos of lush palms cover the walls.
Artwork and Framed Photos
The soaring atrium above is gorgeous — especially on a sunny day!
Crystal Palace Atrium
After you check in, you’ll wait for your table outside on the shaded veranda. But once you step in, pause a moment to take it all in.
Dining Rooms
Tons of windows and glass domes allow for plenty of natural light in the two dining areas.
Dining Room from Another Angle
And really — look up. Because the windows are really stunning. I love the beautiful stained glass detail.
Stained Glass Windows
The decor puts you in mind of a Victorian conservatory, with its outside-but-inside feel. Lush flowers and what reminds me of patio furniture finish the area.
Afternoon Light
Crystal Palace is, of course, a character dining experience, and you’ve stumbled onto a party!
Center Atrium — Up Close
In fact, visit here, and you’ll take part in a Friendship Day Celebration with Winnie the Pooh and his friends.
It’s Friendship Day!
Just check out these gorgeous flower topiaries of the whole gang!
Pooh and His Hunny Pot
Eeyore Topiary
The sweet little figures appear to be made of dried roses, and foreshadow the characters you’ll meet while you dine.
Piglet Topiary
Bouncing Tigger Topiary
And beautiful hanging arrangements of tropical flowers complete the classic conservatory feel.
Fresh Flowers
Seating is standard and fairly comfortable. Heavy, padded chairs share the space with booths, but some tables are situated a bit too closely for our comfort.
Seating for Two
Seating along windows gives you a glimpse of guests waiting to be seated! But beyond them, you’ll also see a beautiful view of [Read more…]
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