Tidbits March 2014

[Figment!]

Tidbits
March 2014

A Parking Predicament

3/23/14 Parking lots continue to close at Downtown Disney as Disney Springs construction expands. The two Pleasure Island parking lots (G and F) and the parking lot near T-REX Cafe (E) have now closed.

8/11/13 Two of the parking lots in the Westside area (I and J) and the parking lot near Planet Hollywood (H) are now closed. Additionally, a third parking lot in the Westside area (K) is scheduled to also close soon.

Fair-Weather Fairies

3/23/14 Character Cast have reported several changes regarding the Tinker Bell Meet & Greet at the Magic Kingdom. It has been reported that Tinker Bell’s Magical Nook in Adventureland will permanently close Late Spring 2014. Coinciding with this closure, a new Tinker Bell Meet & Greet with FASTPASS+ option will reportedly open in Town Square Theater on Main Street USA. In addition to the location change, Cast have reported that only Tinker Bell will be available at the new Meet & Greet. The new Meet & Greet will use the space formerly occupied by the Disney Princess Meet & Greet.

Cupcake Kingdom

3/23/14 Cheshire Café has updated its line-up of Cake Cups. The Magic Kingdom snack location is now offering Queen of Hearts Strawberry Shortcake and White Chocolate Rabbit varieties. The Queen of Hearts cake cup is layers of yellow cake, strawberry puree, and strawberry frosting topped with a fondant Queen of Hearts card and a sugar rose. The White Chocolate Rabbit Cake Cup is layers of yellow cake, white chocolate bits, and buttercream frosting topped with white chocolate rabbit ears and a sugar daisy. Check out INTERCOTee Christine’s picture of the White Chocolate Rabbit Cake Cup on INTERCOT’s Twitter.

10/20/13 Cheshire Café has recently added two Wonderland-inspired twists on the cupcake. The location offers Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat themed Cake Cups featuring layers of cake and icing in a cup priced at $4.19.

Keep on Truck’n

3/23/14 Downtown Disney has announced a new development as part of the Disney Springs project. The area between the new Westside Starbucks and Bongos Cuban Café will re-open in Summer 2014 as Food Truck Park. Besides a new home for the 4 Disney food trucks, the area is expected to provide a shaded area for Guests.

Game Over

3/23/14 The ESPN Wide World of Sports complex has announced that the PlayStation Pavilion will permanently close on March 31, 2014. A replacement for the location has yet to be announced. The PlayStation sponsored venue opened in March 2010.

The Proof is in the Pudding

3/23/14 Guests have reported a new tasty addition to the Tambu Lounge at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. The lounge famous for its tropical drinks is now offering the equally famous ‘Ohana Bread Pudding from the adjacent ‘Ohana.

Seating Switches

3/23/14 The seating renovation projects at the Magic Kingdom appear to be complete. The expanded exterior seating area for Casey’s Corner has opened. The enclosure of the patio at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café is also complete. The full patio is now enclosed with large glass walls and is air conditioned. Check out INTERCOTee Christine’s pictures of the new indoor seating area at Casey’s Corner and the new outdoor seating area at Pinochio’s Village Haus on INTERCOT’s Twitter.

3/9/14 The Magic Kingdom is continuing to add more seating to its quick service dining locations. The indoor refurbishment of Casey’s Corner has revealed some interior changes while the outdoor renovations to expand seating are on-going. The interior seating of the quick service dining location has been expanded, although the expansion came at the expense of a unique feature. In order to add additional interior seating capacity, the wooden bleachers and movie screen have been removed. Cast and Guests have reported that construction walls remain around the patio section of Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tommorowland. A new completion date for the project has not yet been reported.

That’s Just Cheesy

3/23/14 Check out INTERCOTee Christine’s picture of the new menu on INTERCOT’s Twitter.

3/9/14 The Firar's Nook in the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland has recently updated its cuisine. The Quick Service location now offers three varieties of Macaroni and Cheese. The venue offers Bacon Cheeseburger and Blue Cheese varieties priced at $8.99 and a more traditional version topped with panko bread crumbs priced at $5.99.

Refurbs in Paradise

3/9/14 Resort Cast have updated that Captain Cook’s is scheduled to close for refurbishment from March 28 till Summer 2014. A temporary quick service location in the Great Ceremonial House is scheduled to be offered during this period from 6:30 am to 4:30 am daily.

Bringing More to the Table

3/9/14 Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort has opened a new table service dining location. Las Ventanas offers Southwestern American and Mexican inspired dishes for Breakfast and Lunch. As the new location was created by re-purposing the Rix Lounge private dining room, the venue is quite small and only offers approximately a dozen tables. The location is currently operating from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm and is walk-up seating only.

Twice as Nice

3/9/14 The Transportation and Ticket Center is in-process of adding additional capacity for Ferry transportation. A second Ferry Boat loading dock is under construction that will reportedly allow for one Ferry Boat to unload while a second Ferry Boat loading. The new addition is slated to open “Spring 2014”, likely in time for the Peak Spring Break/Easter Season.

Downtown Closedown

3/9/14 Three Downtown Disney quick service dining locations are closing as part of the Disney Spring project. Cast have reported that Pollo Campero, Bodie’s All-American, and BabyCakes NYC will permanently close in their current location on March 19, 2014. The building currently shared by these three venues will reportedly be razed as part of the on-going construction. Several Walt Disney World resort Hotels and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will continue to serve BabyCakes NYC vegan, gluten-free treats. Guests will still be able to find the BabyCakes products at the Beach Club Marketplace, The Boardwalk Bakery, End Zone Food Court, Landscape of Flavors, and Mara. Guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will continue to find the BabyCakes products at the Gardens Kiosk along with other gluten-free items.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

Thanks for sharing!

I'm sad the movie screen is gone at Casey's but happy there are some additional tables.

[vizsla]

Thanks for the updates.

[Melanie]

Thanks, Jason!

[Mousemates]

The indoor refurbishment of Casey’s Corner has revealed some interior changes while the outdoor renovations to expand seating are on-going. The interior seating of the quick service dining location has been expanded, although the expansion came at the expense of a unique feature. In order to add additional interior seating capacity, the wooden bleachers and movie screen have been removed.

Another quaint theming nuance disappears and another longtime disney tradition for our family bites the dust.

[joonyer]

Another quaint theming nuance disappears and another longtime disney tradition for our family bites the dust.

I agree. I can understand taking out the bleachers for table space, but a movie screen takes up no floor space. They could have left the movies playing at Casey's. My boys loved to eat there and watch the movies.

[Ian]

The indoor refurbishment of Casey’s Corner has revealed some interior changes while the outdoor renovations to expand seating are on-going. The interior seating of the quick service dining location has been expanded, although the expansion came at the expense of a unique feature. In order to add additional interior seating capacity, the wooden bleachers and movie screen have been removed.

You know that's a real shame. I always saw many families sitting on those bleachers enjoying their food while their kids watched the classic Mickey shorts on the big screen.

Yet another nice little perk in WDW taken away

[Hammer]

You know that's a real shame. I always saw many families sitting on those bleachers enjoying their food while their kids watched the classic Mickey shorts on the big screen.

Yet another nice little perk in WDW taken away

You thought it was a perk; I found the bleachers to be annoying. Casey's always lost points with me because there wasn't enough proper seating. That's how my parents felt as well. We didn't go to Casey's as kids because my father said he did not pay all this money to go to Disney World to try and eat on a slab of wood.

[dpamac]

Total perk. The idea of Casey's is that it was a baseball themed counter service restaurant. You grab your food, sit on the bleachers and watch sports-themed Disney shorts. It evoked a kind of emotion that some of us had as kids of sitting in the bleachers at baseball games or our brother's football games or when we're watching Moonlight Graham finally play with his heroes until he comes to save you from the hot dog you're choking on when you fall off the bleachers.

Sometimes it's not about efficiency, it's about feelings. And for some people, sitting on slabs of wood eating a hot dog can be that Ratatouille moment where you are suddenly a kid for a moment. I can sit at a table and chairs any time I want. Casey's? Casey's gave me another bit of nostalgic fantasy that I can't get from a room crammed with tables and chairs.

[Hammer]

Total perk. The idea of Casey's is that it was a baseball themed counter service restaurant. You grab your food, sit on the bleachers and watch sports-themed Disney shorts. It evoked a kind of emotion that some of us had as kids of sitting in the bleachers at baseball games or our brother's football games or when we're watching Moonlight Graham finally play with his heroes until he comes to save you from the hot dog you're choking on when you fall off the bleachers.

Sometimes it's not about efficiency, it's about feelings. And for some people, sitting on slabs of wood eating a hot dog can be that Ratatouille moment where you are suddenly a kid for a moment. I can sit at a table and chairs any time I want. Casey's? Casey's gave me another bit of nostalgic fantasy that I can't get from a room crammed with tables and chairs.

What would have been nice if they could have accommodated both of our viewpoints. Keep some bleachers, but also add some tables. It should not have to be just one way or the other.

[John]

Total perk. The idea of Casey's is that it was a baseball themed counter service restaurant. You grab your food, sit on the bleachers and watch sports-themed Disney shorts. It evoked a kind of emotion that some of us had as kids of sitting in the bleachers at baseball games or our brother's football games or when we're watching Moonlight Graham finally play with his heroes until he comes to save you from the hot dog you're choking on when you fall off the bleachers.

Sometimes it's not about efficiency, it's about feelings. And for some people, sitting on slabs of wood eating a hot dog can be that Ratatouille moment where you are suddenly a kid for a moment. I can sit at a table and chairs any time I want. Casey's? Casey's gave me another bit of nostalgic fantasy that I can't get from a room crammed with tables and chairs.

Gary is dead on with this - the bleachers were perfect... go outside if you want to sit or stand at a table. It was atmosphere, theme and feeling all wrapped up into one.

Enough with efficiency in every single place - there are some places that by design are meant to be slightly inefficient or intimate. Chalk another one up for someone in a backroom with a calculator and excel spreadsheets showing how they can "improve" on the number of people in a given area.

[SBETigg]

You thought it was a perk; I found the bleachers to be annoying. Casey's always lost points with me because there wasn't enough proper seating. That's how my parents felt as well. We didn't go to Casey's as kids because my father said he did not pay all this money to go to Disney World to try and eat on a slab of wood.

Agreed. We would sit outside, if possible, but lack of seating has occasionally caused us to skip Casey's. Outside, the tables are often taken up by people not even eating. I think it's much better for them to offer more seating than the old-fashioned games/movie and bleachers.

[cer]

. It evoked a kind of emotion that some of us had as kids of sitting in the bleachers at baseball games or our brother's football games or when we're watching Moonlight Graham finally play with his heroes until he comes to save you from the hot dog you're choking on when you fall off the bleachers.

I can almost hear James Earl Jones...

[Melanie]

I have to agree that the charm will be gone now with the removal of the bleachers and movie screen. What makes it even more disappointing to me is that they expanded the outdoor seating, so why sacrifice this unique space for maybe 7-8 more tables?

[John]

Agreed. We would sit outside, if possible, but lack of seating has occasionally caused us to skip Casey's. Outside, the tables are often taken up by people not even eating. I think it's much better for them to offer more seating than the old-fashioned games/movie and bleachers.

And thus, the homogenization of Disney World continues. Why have something unique when you can pack 30 more people in a space and have it be milk toast.

Same idea lead them to kill the Arcade in the name of more shopping space.

[John]

I have to agree that the charm will be gone now with the removal of the bleachers and movie screen. What makes it even more disappointing to me is that they expanded the outdoor seating, so why sacrifice this unique space for maybe 7-8 more tables?

This.

[Figment!]

**Update**

[SBETigg]

And thus, the homogenization of Disney World continues. Why have something unique when you can pack 30 more people in a space and have it be milk toast.

Same idea lead them to kill the Arcade in the name of more shopping space.

I do miss the arcade. You have a good point. Perhaps if they'd simply taken care of the bleachers. They were always covered with trash and ketchup when we tried to use them. But the expectation that things will be properly maintained and cleaned seems to be fading, too. And heaven forbid that people clean up after themselves. I see so many areas where people should bus their own trash, and they don't, expecting someone to clean up after them. It's a shame.

[vizsla]

Thanks for the updates.

[PirateLover]

I liked having the choice of sitting inside and watching the movies or sitting outside and enjoying a nice day. The bleachers were quaint and I liked the atmosphere it added to the place,But I have to admit that I've witnessed a trend of people sitting on them backwards to talk to their families or use the seat in the next row as a table, and simply ignore the cartoons. I would've been OK with removing the bleachers to add more indoor seating but I don't understand why the cartoons had to go, too. Unless it's a brutally hot summer day or a rare super cold winter day, we prefer to eat outside when possible anyway. Without the cartoons, I won't even be utilizing the indoor seating.