Disney World/Travel News 8-1-2022

News 8-1

Dan: Welcome back to another meeting of the gold key adventurer society. My name is Dan Leonard Hi, Dan,

and joining me this week in the studio is Heather straight

Heather: y'all.

Dan: Jeff Williams.

Jeff: how are y'all?

Dan: show as always is brought to you by Key to the World Travel. Key to the World Travel is a full service travel agency, specializing in theme parks, cruising and destinations around the world.

Head to www.keytotheworldtravel.com for more details and a no obligation quote on the vacation of a lifetime.

The introduction's over, which means it's time we stop. Hey, what's that sound? Everybody look, what's going down. That

Jeff: I like

Heather: is it? What's 

Jeff: I understand the reference.

Dan: there's something happening at Epcot.

What it is, ain't exactly clear, but a construction permit was recently filed for the long dormant play pavilion with an expiration date.

Jeff: You didn't say play right.

Dan: PLAY! pavilion

Jeff: That's

right. 

Heather: is.

Dan: date of December 31st, 2024. My apologies for your eardrums. That's gonna sound really good later. Yeah. And that's about all the information that there is.

 Wal Disney, imaginary has filed a new permit for the play pavilion at Epcot. The names, the contractor company that they use for a lot of their really big projects. And the date is usually those permits are good for 12 months, but this one has an extended date out to December 31st, 2024.

 That might give us a time range of when they're planning to

Jeff: Does it, does the permit have play in it or is it just the address or whatever to make people know? That's what it is.

Dan: I don't see the permit. Usually it, it just has an address and says the kind of thing that they're planning to do. This new story does not mention how they know, although I could open up the forum thread. There's a, the, there's a Disney world forum where they have a very long thread.

That's devoted to looking up all of the permits as they get pulled.

Jeff: I hope that'll mean that it is actually coming. It seemed like a good. They need more stuff for youngins there at that park.

Dan: Yep,

Jeff: That'd be a good one to park a mom and a kid or something. While you go ride guardians next door.

Dan: yes, exactly. And that's the whole idea, a, it's going to be an interactive city full of games, activities, and experiences that allow you to play with your family and favorite Disney characters.

Heather: Cool.

Jeff: Can you play with yourself in there?

Dan: suppose if you don't bring any family members with you that's part of the I'm gonna move on.

I guess we'll have the 

Heather: probably best.

Dan: help Edna mode on quest to rid the world of inspired style, make a splash in a water balloon fight. Hu is hosted by Huey Dewey, Louie, and Webb. And those are the only two examples they have for things that they might do in the pavilion. But sounds like fun. They're supposed to be able to like change.

It's gonna be like Disney quest, but more heavily character

full Yeah.

at least that's what it sounds like to me. They plan on changing attractions in and out of there frequently. So that's that? I wish that I had thought of more lyrics from that song to go for all the news stories we have, but I didn't.

So I'm just gonna say I've got a I got beverage that y'all need to take a look out for when you board the galactic star cruiser. That's next week,

Jeff: Next week.

Dan: Yeah. They have released this brand new beverage at the sub light lounge on the star cruiser. It's called the crate reactor. This thing is $79, but it's meant for four people it comes,

Jeff: people.

Dan: it comes in this really cool thing that looks like an intergalactic hookah.

Heather: it does. I want 

Dan: With these big straws out the middle each straw goes into a separate little container and it sounds like the drink is It's a passion fruit margarita.

yes. Yeah, there

Jeff: But can I keep this thing?

Heather: I hope so.

Dan: I would hope so at that price.

Heather: margarita.

Dan: Yeah. At that price. And because of the fact that they use those long bendy plastic straws that are in like the souvenir sippers I would guess, but I don't have confirmation that's a keeper.

Jeff: It looks well. I will report

back after next week. 

Heather: care of this.

Dan: Yeah.

Jeff: Also. I love that they think that's for four people. Have they met Jeff Williams, earthling Jeff William.

Dan: I was gonna say that I did see somebody post in a Facebook group that they had tried it and they didn't realize it was meant for four. And they found it was a good way to make friends aboard the ship. There was a couple at the table next door, and they called 'em

Jeff: Oh, good idea.

Dan: With them.

So if you feel like making friends and report back on a,

Heather: We definitely, we will.

Dan: hopefully they let you keep it.

Jeff: Yeah, it sounds delicious. Anyway. Who doesn't like a dragon fruit? I don't know about vanilla. That seems weird.

Heather: I'll give it a go.

Jeff: Yeah. It's 79 bucks. Sue gives a care, right?

Dan: The bar is open late. So you might as.

Jeff: How late are we talking?

Dan: I think one night it's midnight and the other night, it's one o'clock it's open later than most Disney world bars.

Jeff: Shut your mouth.

Dan: And the second night it is not super crowded at all. Cause everybody's like, oh, we go to wup in the morning.

Cause they're not experienced bared goers. Like some of

Jeff: do I gotta wake up early in the morning?

Heather: Get off, you gotta get off.

Jeff: Check out. What time do you have to deplane de ship?

Dan: has to be off by 10:00 AM.

Jeff: Oh,

Dan: Yeah,

Jeff: push Shaw.

Dan: get your breakfast buffet because it's different than the previous day. So you gotta make sure you get up early enough for that. Get packed, leave your bags off for the valet people and be on your Merry

Jeff: So it's just like a real ship.

Dan: Yeah. That's the

Jeff: I'm here for it. As the kids

Dan: is a real ship, a real spaceship.

And you go on inter galactic adventures. Jeff you can't convince me otherwise.

Jeff: As long as they take place in the bar or restroom. Restaurants. Me.

yeah, what's in this secret hole in the stall.

Dan: And why are his feet so far apart

Jeff: I just have a wide stance.

Dan: space? Moving right along there's a whole lot of, a lot of stuff going on at the boardwalk right now.

Heather: the mystery of what's going to happen to the ESPN club has been revealed

Dan: We know that

right? That's 

Jeff: They revealed it a year ago and they announced this

restaurant was coming in.

Dan: And I, they're not, they're just taking out all the decorations I believe, and they just go re

Jeff: Yeah, the barbell and the hand and the, all that crap.

Dan: Yeah. So they recently started work. I could look up the official date so that we sound like a legitimate news source. Let's see. That was five days. So Thursday, the 14th work crews of July, the 14th of July cruise have been up on lifts, cutting down. Exterior signage and themeing. So getting ready to turn that into the cake bake shop it

Jeff: Yeah, I was looking at the menu on that thing. Somebody posted a while back that looks delightful.

Dan: does look like very large, very expensive slices of very white cake.

Heather: I like cake

Jeff: I love cake. And they also have food. It's a full sit down restaurant,

Heather: and then the bakery is turning into a deli,

Jeff: a deli.

Dan: Yeah. Cuz they don't need two bakeries. Yeah. So that's that's happening really soon. Where's my story here. That's this summer, the opening date will be they don't say exactly the date. They just say this summer. Summer's 

Jeff: Jesus. 

Heather: over. They better get a move on.

Dan: That's

Jeff: It'll come out around the time as the magic band plus,

Dan: Yeah, exactly.

Jeff: I've never been in the boardwalk bakery.

Dan: I, and now you never will, but the boardwalk deli is going to

Heather: I've been in there.

Dan: What they call a Northeastern style deli, because apparently we can't say New York city, cuz that's a, sounds like a New York deli to me. Fresh deli sandwiches, fish, fresh baked, breads, and bakery items. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I see what looks like a Ruben there

 Other.

Jeff: I think that's a real good choice. Oh shit.

Dan: Oh, Jeff broke himself. You okay?

Jeff: I just hit my knee very hard on this desk. Oh, good.

Dan: good. Maybe because the boardwalk is more like a New Jersey thing and I don't wanna say New York deli legal.

That's true. Makes sense. Yeah, that's happening at some point this summer, look for that. And the boardwalk also on the boardwalk jelly rolls is going to be back open for daily business, starting,

Jeff: I am very excited about that. Also never set foot in there.

Dan: As this episode releases, actually, they will already be open starting July 21st.

The doors will open at 7:00 PM each night and they will close at 1:45 AM.

Jeff: Whoa.

Dan: must be 21. Yeah. It's late for Disney bar. Aren't like most of them seem to be 11, maybe midnight,

Jeff: hate that in order to stay out late drinking, I have to hear two assholes singing and playing piano.

Dan: And pay an $18 cover fee.

Jeff: I don't care about that. It's I just really don't like

piano. bars. 

Heather: Yeah.

Dan: Yeah. They can be okay, but

Jeff: It's fine. It's just so much and so loud and it continues.

Dan: Yeah.

Heather: Yeah, I have my SCR throat is still scratchy today from spending last night in the piano bar on the Disney wish. And it was the loudest, most obnoxious piano I've ever heard. And we 

 And leave because we were literally screaming at each other to, to be heard over the piano. It was

Jeff: oh yeah. There's no, you can't talk to your friends. You're just there to sing along with Billy.

Dan: Yeah.

Jeff: for six hours.

Dan: It depends on the personality of the performers, but they're

Heather: Also the performer was a terrible singer and a subpar piano player. So it wasn't 

Jeff: wow. That's unfortunate. And if you'd like

to sail on Disney cruise on, give us,

Heather: the other live performers.

Jeff: got a lousy singer in a piano bar, full of

agents. 

Heather: we saw in the other bars were excellent. This chick was just not great.

Jeff: Oh, a female. Shouldn't be a

Heather: She wasn't good.

Dan: is that Jeff?

Jeff: Whoever went to a piano bar, that was a female.

Dan: You're right. I've never seen a female performer at a dualing. I haven't spent a

Jeff: How many Tori Amus songs

can you hear at once 

Heather: And saying all of the bar standards. Just not well, Tori, Amos.

Jeff: sing as a song? You're the piano gal.

Heather: What's the good news

Dan: good news. Over at animal kingdom, the festival, the lion king reopened a few days ago as we record July 16th. Reopened again

because,

Jeff: The full and real version.

Dan: yeah, 

Heather: already reopen?

Dan: it reopened post COVID and but it was changed. There was some.

Jeff: It was a smattering of the lion king, yeah. Some of the performers weren't there and the seating had been reduced.

Dan: And then it closed down on July. I believe July 4th, they closed down and it just reopened with all the seating returned, the tumble monkeys, which apparently are awesome. And everybody is really excited.

Jeff: Oh, I love the tumble monkeys. 

Heather: monkeys. Why were they? COVID not friendly.

Dan: don't know cuz they were

Jeff: I think they were foreign and couldn't get

here yet. 

Heather: makes sense.

Dan: So they're back and the flying bird or birds are

Jeff: The red bird or something.

Heather: cool.

Dan: So

Jeff: I love that show. I'm glad that's back.

Dan: I've never seen it. I need to see it. We don't see a lot of shows with live actors in them. When we go to the parks, our shows tend to have animatronic

Heather: Oh 

Dan: actors. 

Jeff: That's a, that's definitely worth seeing your whole familial would love it.

Dan: Put it on the list?

Jeff: Is that because you don't wanna see live performers.

Dan: No, just, I never like look ahead of time when things are, and then make the point of going to go see them. I guess we're usually in line for some other attraction. We have seen the frozen sing along at Hollywood studios, which is a ton of fun. And.

Jeff: I like that one too.

Dan: Just like you experienced on the cruise ship, when it snows inside somewhere, it's not supposed to snow.

That just is quite magical,

Jeff: just tickles

me. 

Heather: so good. 

Dan: Yeah. It's fricking magic

Heather: But the fun part on the wish is that it's not SNO. It's literally pieces of confetti that Oaken is pulling out of a hat and it's hysterical. Yeah.

Jeff: Oh, spoiler alert.

Dan: Oh, so he is throwing garbage all over you and your meal.

Heather: Yeah,

Dan: good. better than the soap though, at least

Jeff: It seems less insulting though. If you say it's snowing.

Dan: True. At least his edible still moving away from Wal Disney world. Let's talk about COVID again. But Yay.

Heather: good news though.

Jeff: Tonight on COVID news.

Dan: the CDC announced just a day, not too long before we sat down to record that they are ending their COVID 19 program for cruise ships.

So that,

Heather: All of it.

Dan: yeah, so that means they're not laying down any rules. They're also not, I believe they said they're going to keep track, but they're not gonna report to the public, any COVID

Heather: Correct. You can ask the cruise line on which you are sailing, but you will not be able to get that information from the CDC anymore. And all of their stuff was. Voluntary and all the cruise lines were voluntarily following it, but they have all started to go their own way. Norwegian cruise lines stopped doing any presale testing

Dan: Yeah. That was just

announced. Not too 

Heather: very recently.

Yeah. So I think they're going to keep vaccine requirements in place for a good long while. I think that would be my gut, but they may stop the.

Dan: Yeah.

Jeff: I'd like that.

Dan: You figure if they're requiring vaccines, then there seems to be little point in the

actual testing, 

Heather: Yeah.

Dan: But

Jeff: And too, you there's false negatives and false positives and people cheat 'em or whatever who knows it's not doing any good that testing. And a lot of we've known people. We've had agents that got down to the port after flying or driving or whatever, and oops, can't get on.

Dan: No. Or while Kendra was concerned, she was getting a runaround cuz she just had it. And so she needed that letter that says you've recovered and the health department didn't want to give her one, even though it says it's their job. So she had to try to find track down her doctor to do it

Heather: to get them to do it. Yeah.

Dan: But the health department is supposed to be supplying whatever.

But yeah. So that's That's the, what I was curious about is when are we going to start seeing any change? Like, it feels like everybody's maybe sitting here waiting to see who's gonna be the first one to pull the trigger and make an

Jeff: I bet it'll be quick. We were on a river cruise when they dropped the no testing for flying back to the states, like literally still on the cruise. And the next, I guess that was at. Night the next day they were like, they were done

with masks.

All like all the stuff, no testing, no mask, no everything.

Cause as long as people can get home, they were like, whatever we're done here,

Dan: right. 

Jeff: I bet it'll

be quick. 

Heather: so, too. Especially since Norwegian had already made that move and pulled that they stopped testing and most of the cruise lines have stopped doing it for free. dizzy cruise line. If you have to take the test at the port, you're paying for it. It's no longer included.

Dan: Which it's reasonable. I

Heather: Of course. 

Dan: we can't 

Heather: Yeah. I that's. My gut is that they're gonna drop the testing to sale, but I think vaccines will stay around for a bit because that, that gives them that extra sense of. If you're vaccinated and you catch it on board, you're not gonna get 

Jeff: You're not gonna get sick.

Dan: right.

Heather: seriously ill anyway.

Dan: Also, maybe that's doing some small part of encouraging people to

Heather: Yeah, sure.

Dan: Yeah. Sounds good to me. The

Jeff: I bet in carnival drops the

vaccine requirement first. Their clientele is riped for not wanting to

get vaccinated. 

Heather: that's a good point.

Jeff: Sorry. I interrupted you.

Dan: No. That's okay. I was just gonna say earlier this evening, Jeff sent me a message. He was really excited cuz he had found a Facebook post about how you could on Airbnb rent blueys house in Australia. And I could tell he was really excited and really wanted to go

 In

Jeff: I thought perhaps people in your household might be excited for

Dan: yeah. They would've been very excited. I would've, I would love to have that experience.

Heather: me who bluey is.

Dan: Bluey is the dog, the blue healer dog. She's a,

Heather: Oh, 

Dan: it's a delightful

Jeff: on the hit show.

Bluey. 

Heather: seen the hit show bluey. Sorry.

Dan: you should. It's season three is coming out in

Heather: Oh, all 

Dan: of weeks on Disney plus, and there's like tons of episodes.

It's very delightful that it's really funny

Heather: Hey watching all of the Disney plus content. This is a pro tip. You can do really well in some of the tri Disney trivia on Disney cruise.

Dan: Oh,

Heather: Yeah, we went to an entire trivia round. That was all Disney plus shows. And two of us were sitting there going, huh. And Erin Jensen, who has been on the show before apparently spends most of her time watching Disney plus because she knew all of it.

Dan: nice.

Heather: Just every question and yeah I was not as hip to that. I watch all of the Marvel and star wars content and not much 

Jeff: Yeah. And you don't have a four year

old, 

Heather: That's true.

Dan: true.

Jeff: I guess she doesn't either though.

That's the alarming part. Her youngest is like 10 now, right?

Dan: Yeah. but Heather's youngest likes to watch Disney junior

Heather: it is true. He does. When we're on vacation at Disney world, he puts. Disney junior and watches. Ironically, I guess watches stuff like VA

Jeff: We did watch some Disney junior in German while at Disneyland Paris. So that was interesting.

Heather: There's a lot of great content on Disney plus too. Lots of,

Dan: is including bluey.

And I felt really bad when I had to shatter Jeff's hopes and dreams because the bluey Airbnb was one of those lame one weekend only one family

Heather: Oh, dear

Dan: And it was in February of this year. So Jeff, Mrs. Chance.

Jeff: We missed it.

Dan: Yeah, we missed it. But the good news is I found one that there's still time that you may be able to get in on booking for this opens on Wednesday, July 27th.

You can book mansion from the godfather on Airbnb to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the godfather. So it's the mansion on Staten island that was used for exterior shots of the movie. It's a five bed, six bath home built in 1930 is 6,250 square feet. Looks

Jeff: awesome. 

Dan: so

Heather: Now the godfather I have seen

Jeff: On Disney plus,

Heather: No,

Dan: Yeah, that scene when he wakes up and Goofy's head is next to him in the bed. Oh God, that's awful.

Heather: devastating.

Dan: It's available for up to five guests and you get to rent it for the entire month of August for the low price of just $50 a night. So that's actually,

Heather: Wow.

Jeff: That's amazing.

Dan: Oh,

Heather: It looks incredible.

Dan: It's gorgeous. The inside is beautiful. It you can sit at a oversized desk in the office and hand out favors on the occasion of your daughter's wedding. Chef's kitchen, beautiful pool outside, fully stuck, fully stocked pub in the basement game room and a gym.

Heather: nice.

Dan: Because Marlon Brando was a fitness nut.

Heather: Yeah. I seem to recall that

Dan: The out the pool is a salt water pool and there's a outdoor pizza oven out there.

Jeff: Yeah, the pool area looks awesome. Whole big old kitchen pizza oven, lounges, fire, pit umbrellas. This looks awesome.

Dan: So I'm winning that.

your alarm July 27th at 1:00 PM. Booking opens. If you're the lucky person,

Jeff: And do you have to rent it for the helmet?

Dan: it says can book the home for private access to the mansion for the entire month. For 50 at night, it says booking for yeah, it's a 30 night stay. So

Jeff: Wow.

Dan: or.

Jeff: That's cool. I'll go live in Staten island for a month.

Dan: Go vacation there. There's also, Ooh. Oh, we missed this one. Looks like for one. Ooh, for a few nights in June, you could book the mystery machine from Scooby do.

Jeff: Yeah, there was one we missed too. There's a secret apartment in Paris's Mulan Rouge and you could rent it.

Dan: Ooh.

Heather: what,

Jeff: Yeah.

Heather: cool.

Jeff: They keep doing these limited time. Limited time, super themed things.

Dan: Yeah. I wish that some of them, like why couldn't some of these stay open for longer. I guess somebody lives in some of these places and they want to go

Jeff: But this thing in the Mullan Rouge, people that would rent out every night of every

Dan: Oh Oh, of course.

yeah. Fact.

Jeff: especially if Satine would come visit you

Dan: Ooh. And it was only one Euro a night.

Jeff: bra,

Heather: What

Dan: Yeah. June 13th, 20th and 27th, three, one night stays each for two guests and it was one Euro product.

Jeff: I would pay double that.

Dan: At least at the very least. Yeah. Ooh. Apparently they're also renting out celebrities homes. Sorry. I've gone down to the rabbit hole now. You guys are screwed

Jeff: Yeah, you can really get stuck in there.

Dan: yeah. Thanks a lot. Travel and leisure. You can book AF Scott Fitzgerald's home. Chad Smith from the red hot chili peppers. He's got a mention in

Mexico that he 

Heather: think so.

Dan: on Airbnb sunny and shares bungalow overlooking the Hollywood reservoir.

Jeff: I was wondering if that was one of those ski out places

Dan: oh God, you, but slightly

 You can't ski back though.

Jeff: Yeah.

Dan: way 

Heather: no.

Jeff: Is a tree right in the middle of the exit.

Dan: The the New York home of Julie Andrews, the house that Hendrix stayed in

Jeff: The house Hendricks choked to death on his own vomit.

Dan: All right. I'm done with that rabbit hole. Jane Austin's family home. So that's exciting. Thanks for hanging out with us again for our weekly news Roundup. If you want to belly up to an intergalactic bar for a crate reactor or two, or explore anywhere else around the world, Key to the World Travel has the Corleone family's mansion full of expert travel planners. Ready to make your vacation dreams a reality head to www.keytotheworldtravel.com to get started with a no obligation quote.

Don't forget to catch up with our friend, the theme park professor for all the latest theme park news and tips at www.themeparkprofessor.com.

Word of mouth is the best way to help us grow our show. If you have a friend or two who you think would appreciate our special brand of globetrotting jackassery, tell them what makes our show so great and send them our way. You can find links to subscribe to the show on your favorite apps and all the latest updates at www.goldkeyadventurers.com.

We can't wait to hang out with you again later this week. We'll see you real soon.

Heather: Bye y'all.

Jeff: Thank you for the privilege of your time.